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Samuel Paparo

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Samuel Paparo
Born1964 (age 59–60)
Morton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
Years of service1987–present
RankAdmiral
Commands
Battles / wars
Awards
Alma mater

Samuel John Paparo Jr. (born 1964) is a United States Navy admiral who has served as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command since May 3, 2024.[2] He most recently served as commander of the United States Pacific Fleet from 2021 to 2024.[3]

Early life and education

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Samuel John Paparo Jr. was born in 1964,[4][5] and is a native of Morton, Pennsylvania.[6] He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and the grandson of a World War II enlisted sailor.[citation needed] As a youth, Paparo attended Cardinal O'Hara High School.[7] A graduate of Villanova University in 1987,[7] he was commissioned via the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) program at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, also in 1987.[citation needed] He is a graduate of Navy's Strike training pipeline (i.e., carrier-based tactical jet) as a Naval Aviator and was later designated as a Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) as a graduate of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School ("TOPGUN").[7]

Paparo earned an M.A. degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University and an M.S. degree in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School.[when?] He also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, the Naval War College and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School of the Joint Forces Staff College.[8][9][10][excessive citations]

Career

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Paparo's training qualified him as a naval aviator on the F-14, USAF F-15 and F/A-18 airframes; as of October 2020, he has flown more than 6,000 hours in those aircraft, and had made more than 1,100 landings on aircraft carriers.[7] Paparo served with the U.S. Navy's Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7) as deputy air wing commander from October 2009 through August 2011, embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.[11] The air wing, composed of eight squadrons, included "F/A-18C/E/F Hornets and Super Hornets, E-2C Hawkeye airborne command and control aircraft, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, SH-60F/HH-60H Seahawk helicopters, and C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft", with 1,500 enlisted personnel and officers assigned.[11] He subsequently took command of CVW-7 in August 2011, relieving Captain Roy J. Kelley,[11] a position he remained in until December 2012.[12][verification needed]

Paparo then went on to command Carrier Strike Group 10 (CSG-10) from July 2017,[13][verification needed] until March 2018,[6] a group comprising the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a carrier air wing (CVW 3, which included substantial fixed and rotary wing airframes and personnel, including early warning and electronic attack units), and guided missile cruisers USS San Jacinto, USS Vella Gulf, and USS Monterey, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON, with its guided missile destroyers USS Stout, USS Oscar Austin, and USS McFaul).[6] In addition to a variuety of global training and exercise events, Paparo's forces provided intensive support for "Defense Support to Civilian Authorities (DSCA) operations", following Hurricane Irma's impact on the Florida keys in September 2017 (overseeing a task force of multiple units that cleared roads, and restored boat ramp and flight operations at Naval Air Station Key West, and electrical, water, and air conditioning services to vital military and civilian buildings in coordination with the Florida National Guard and FEMA).[6]

After being elevated to the rank of U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, Paparo served as commander of the United States Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, overseeing "all U.S. naval forces stationed throughout the Middle East", including coordination of the 33-country international naval coalition that "oversees safety of those waters and supports operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan".[7] In addition, he served as director of operations of the United States Central Command out of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.[6] and went on to command the Combined Maritime Forces.[when?][14][15][verification needed]

As of May 5, 2021, he had been elevated to the rank of four-star admiral in the United States Navy,[when?] and was serving as the 64th commander of the United States Pacific Fleet (succeeding Admiral John C. Aquilino).[16][17][clarification needed][verification needed]

In July 2023, Paparo was nominated for reappointment to the grade of admiral and assignment as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command.[18][19] Adm. Samuel J. Paparo assumed command of United States Indo-Pacific Command from Adm. John C. Aquilino during a change of command ceremony May 3, 2024. [20]

Awards and decorations

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Naval Aviator insignia
Command at Sea insignia
Gold star
 Navy Distinguished Service Medal with award star[21][22]
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (March 29, 2018[6]), with three gold award stars
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars
Air Medal with one bronze service star, Combat V and bronze Strike/Flight numeral "6"
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
 Navy Unit Commendation with service star
Bronze star
 Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with service star
Navy "E" Ribbon with three Battle E devices
Combat Readiness Medal
Bronze star
 National Defense Service Medal with service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Bronze star
 Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one silver and three bronze service stars
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with three service stars
The Khalifiyyeh Order of Bahrain, 2nd Class
Bronze star
 NATO Medal for service with ISAF with service star
Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal

References

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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government. This information is indicated by inline citation to make clear that this was its source.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samuel J. Paparo, Jr..
  1. ^ "Paparo to pass command of VFA-106 to Dwyer". Norfolk Navy Flagship. June 4, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.
  3. ^ "Paparo takes helm as U.S. Pacific Fleet commander". U.S. Pacific Fleet. U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs. May 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  4. ^ BNP Staff (October 1, 1990). Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Navy, Bureau of Naval Personnel. p. 151. Retrieved July 21, 2023.[non-primary source needed]
  5. ^ Selzer, Spc. Henry (August 28, 2007). "Nuristan PRT celebrates Afghan Independence Day". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS, dvidshub.net). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f DVIDS Staff (March 29, 2018). "CSG-10 Bids Farewell to Rear Adm. Paparo, Welcomes Rear Adm. Meier during Change of Command". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS, dvidshub.net). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e Bjorkgren, David (October 6, 2020). "Cardinal O'Hara Grad Takes Over U.S. Navy Middle Eastern Fleet". DelCo.Today. Delaware County, PA: American Community Journals. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  8. ^ "Admiral Samuel Paparo". www.navy.mil.
  9. ^ "U.S. Naval Forces Central Command > Leadership > Commander". www.cusnc.navy.mil.
  10. ^ "CMF Leadership". Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). September 17, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c WVEC Staff (August 3, 2011). "New leader for Carrier Air Wing 7". 13newsnow.com. Norfolk, Virginia: WVEC-TV. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  12. ^ Affairs, SN Brian Wilbur, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public (December 6, 2012). "CVW-7 holds change of command". Military News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Affairs, This story was written by Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Public. "CSG-10 Bids Farewell to Rear Adm. Malloy, Welcomes Rear Adm. Paparo during Change of Command". Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  14. ^ "VADM Malloy hands over to VADM Paparo in Change of Command ceremony". Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). August 19, 2020.
  15. ^ "NAVCENT, U.S. Fifth Fleet, CMF Change of Command". U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
  16. ^ U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs (May 5, 2021). "Paparo takes helm as U.S. Pacific Fleet commander". Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  17. ^ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
  18. ^ "PN885 — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. — Navy, 118th Congress (2023-2024)". U.S. Congress. July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  19. ^ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  20. ^ "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  21. ^ "Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Change of Command [Image 8 of 11]". DVIDS. April 4, 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  22. ^ "USINDOPACOM Change of Command [Image 10 of 20]". DVIDS. May 3, 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Carrier Air Wing 7
2011–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of Carrier Strike Group 10
2017–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Operations of United States Central Command
2018–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet
2020–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet
2021–2024 		Succeeded by
Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command
2024–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Commander of U.S. Northern Command Order of precedence of the United States
as Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command 		Succeeded byas Commander of U.S. Transportation Command
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