caption serviceyears branch commands birth_place allegiance awards placeofburial_label battles birth_date rank image article_title name
vice general of the navy admiral bruce macdonald , usn 40th judge advocate 1978 -- 2009 united states navy judge general of the navy advocate general of the navy deputy judge advocate cincinnati , ohio united states of america navy -rrb- defense meritorious service medal meritorious service medal -lrb- 2 distinguished -rrb- service medal legion of merit -lrb- 3 place of burial gulf war 1955 vice admiral vadm bruce e. macdonald.jpg bruce e. macdonald
 bruce e. macdonald
bruce e. macdonald

bruce e. macdonald -lrb- born 1955 in cincinnati , ohio -rrb- is a retired united states navy vice admiral who last served as the 40th judge advocate general of the navy from july 2006 to august 2009 .
prior to that , macdonald served as the navy 's deputy judge advocate general from november 2004 to july 2006 .
on july 2 , 2008 , then rear admiral macdonald was nominated for appointment to the grade of vice admiral while serving as the navy 's judge advocate general .
he was confirmed by the senate on august 1 , 2008 and was promoted to grade on august 4 , 2008 becoming the first jag to be a three-star flag officer .
vice admiral macdonald graduated from the college of the holy cross in 1978 with a bachelor of arts degree in english , and entered the navy in may of that year .
vadm macdonald was commissioned an ensign in the unrestricted line through the naval reserve officer training corps .
following the normal surface warfare pipeline , he reported to the uss `` hepburn '' -lrb- ff 1055 -rrb- in october 1979 where he served as main propulsion assistant and navigator .
after a two-year tour at fleet combat training center , pacific where he served as intermediate combat systems team training and advanced multi-threat team training course director , he was selected for the law education program in 1984 .
he received his degree of juris doctor from california western school of law in 1987 .
in 1987 , vadm macdonald reported to naval legal service office san diego where he served as senior defense counsel , trial counsel , and medical care recovery act claims officer .
in 1990 , he reported aboard uss `` independence '' -lrb- cv 62 -rrb- as the command judge advocate .
after receiving a master of laws degree from harvard law school in cambridge , mass. , in 1992 , he was transferred to seoul , korea , where he served as chief , operational law division , on the staffs of united nations command , combined forces command , and united states forces korea .
he also served as staff judge advocate on the staff of united states naval forces korea .
in august 1994 , vadm macdonald reported aboard naval legal service office northwest as its executive officer .
in november 1996 , he became the officer in charge of trial service office west detachment bremerton , wash. .
in july 1997 , he reported to commander seventh fleet in yokosuka , japan as the fleet judge advocate .
vadm macdonald assumed command of naval legal service office northwest in august 1999 , serving as commanding officer until june 2002 .
he was assigned to the pentagon as the special counsel to the chief of naval operations from june 2002 through october 2004 .
in november 2004 , vadm macdonald became the deputy judge advocate general and commander , naval legal service command .
in july 2006 , vadm macdonald assumed his position as judge advocate general of the navy .
he retired from the navy in 2009 .
