Christophe Prazuck
Christophe Prazuck (born 11 October 1960) is a French naval officer. He was promoted to amiral and appointed the Chief of Staff of the French Navy on 13 July 2016. Early life and first assignments. The son of Amiral Stéphane Prazuck, Christophe Prazuck entered to the École Navale () in September 1979. After the application school on the "Jeanne d'Arc", he was assigned from 1982 to 1984 on the patroller "Altaïr" then on the Amphibious disembarking transport ship "Champlain", based at the Réunion. He remained primarily in the zone around the Indian Ocean until his next posting as second  commanding officer of the patroller "Épée" in Mayotte. From 1984 to 1989, Prazuck joined the Submarine Forces, serving first on the "Ouessant", then on the "Doris" as an operations officer; he was then an officer marked «armes» at the commission of practical studies. From 1989 to 1991, Prazuck was a candidate at the United States Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Physical oceanography (Physical behavior study of the oceans). Following that formation, he directed naval environmental cell of Toulouse. Senior naval career. Commands. In 1994, Prazuck became second in command of the  command and supply ship "Var", before assuming command of the amphibious ship "Camplain" the following year. In 1996, Prazuck integrated the Inter-arm Defense College (École de guerre), and became chief of the operations group (CGO) on board the anti-submarine frigate "Tourville". In 1999, he assumed command of the "Floréal" based in Reunion. Public relations. In 2000, Prazuck joined the Information Service and Public Relations of the Armies () – Marine (SIRPA – Marine) where he exercised the function of second in command, before assuming the lead role in 2001 for a period of three years. In 2004, he was placed at  the head of the Media department of Communication and Information Defense Delegation () (DICoD), then in 2006, he became the communication counselor of the Chief of the general staff headquarters of the Armies CEMA. General officer. On 1 August 2009, Prazuck was nominated to the rank of contre-amiral (Counter-Admiral) and assumed, in August 2010, the commandment of Maritime Force of the Fusiliers Marins and Commandos (FORFUSCO) in Lorient. Promoted to vice-amiral d’escadre (Squadron vice-admiral), he became, in August 2010, the director of military personnel of the French Navy and deputy chief of the general staff headquarters – Human  resources – of the general staff headquarters of the French Navy (). By a Ministerial Council () Decree decision on 6 July 2016, Prazuck was designated as Chief of Staff of the French Navy () and was elevated to the rank designation of amiral, as of 12 July, by replacing Amiral Bernard Rogel, who had been promoted to Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic ().