Admiral Lisa Franchetti removed as CNO

Admiral Lisa Franchetti [U/S.navy photograph]

Admiral Lisa Franchetti has been removed as Chief of Naval Operations. She is the first woman to serve in that role and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The action was among a swath of military leadership changes announced by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on February 21, following President Trump’s announcement of his intention to nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine to replace Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, Jr., USAF, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“I am also requesting nominations for the positions of Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff,” said Secretary Hegseth. “The incumbents in these important roles, Admiral Lisa Franchetti and General James Slife, respectively, have had distinguished careers. We thank them for their service and dedication to our country.

“We are also requesting nominations for the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy and Air Force.

“Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars.”

The decision to replace Admiral Franchetti as CNO comes a month after Admiral Linda Fagan was relieved of duties as Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

According to her official biography, Admiral Franchetti is a native of Rochester, N.Y. She is a 1985 graduate of Northwestern University where she was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. Designated a Surface Warfare Officer in 1989, she has commanded at every level and deployed in every Fleet, with nearly 20 years of operational and at-sea experience.

Her flag assignments include: Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; director for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff; deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, N7; commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa during the 2018 strikes against Syrian chemical-weapons facilities; chief of staff, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) Joint Staff; commander, Carrier Strike Group 15; commander, Carrier Strike Group 9; and commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea.

At sea, she commanded Destroyer Squadron Twenty One, embarked on USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74); commanded USS Ross (DDG 71) and also served as commander of Pacific Partnership 2010, embarked on USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). Her operational sea tours include assistant surface operations officer on USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group; executive officer of USS Stout (DDG 55); combat systems officer and chief staff officer for Destroyer Squadron TWO; operations officer on USS Moosbrugger (DD 980); navigator on USS Monongahela (AO 178); and auxiliaries officer and first division officer on USS Shenandoah (AD 44).

Ashore, Franchetti’s assignments include military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy; deputy director of International Engagement and executive assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations and Strategy on the Navy staff; division chief, Joint Concept Development and Experimentation, on the Joint Staff, J7; 4th Battalion officer at the U.S. Naval Academy; protocol officer for Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations; commanding officer, Navy Reserve Center Central Point, Oregon; program manager, Naval Reserve Readiness Command, Region 13.

Her personal awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (five awards), Meritorious Service Medal (six awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards).