2010 Distinguished Sea Service Award Honoree
At its Centennial Congress in 1990 the Naval Order established a Distinguished Sea Service Award (DSSA) to each year honor a recently retired US Naval Officer who, over a total career, so distinguished himself and the Naval Services, that he should be singled out as one who stands "First Among Firsts." This year's honoree is:
General Peter Pace, United States Marine Corps, Retired
In recognition of Professional Leadership and Support to the Sea Services of the United States of America reflecting Singular Credit and Honor upon himself and his Country and earning the enduring Gratitude of his fellow Countrymen. He stands "PRIMUS INTER PRIMOS".
General Pace will be awarded the Naval Order's Distinguished Sea Service Award at the Annual Congress in Sparks, NV, Saturday, 15 October 2010.
Biography
General Peter Pace retired from active duty on 1 October, 2007, after more than 40 years of service in the United States Marine Corps.
General Pace was sworn in as sixteenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sep. 30, 2005. In this capacity, he served as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. Prior to becoming Chairman, he served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Pace holds the distinction of being the first Marine to have served in either of these positions.
General Pace was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Teaneck, NJ. A 1967 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University and attended Harvard University for the Senior Executives in National and International Security program. The General is also a graduate of the Infantry Officers' Advanced Course at Fort Benning, GA; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, in Quantico, VA; and the National War College, at Ft. McNair, Washington, DC.
Upon completion of The Basic School, Quantico, VA, in 1968, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam, serving first as a Rifle Platoon Leader and subsequently as Assistant Operations Officer.
Returning from overseas in March 1969, he reported to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC During this tour, he served as Head, Infantry Writer Unit, Marine Corps Institute; Platoon Leader, Guard Company; Security Detachment Commander, Camp David; White House Social Aide; and Platoon Leader, Special Ceremonial Platoon. He was promoted to Captain in April 1971. In September 1971, General Pace attended the Infantry Officers' Advanced Course at Fort Benning, GA. Returning overseas in October 1972, he was assigned to the Security Element, Marine Aircraft Group 15, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Nam Phong, Thailand, where he served as Operations Officer and then Executive Officer.
In October 1973, he was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, DC, for duty as the Assistant Majors' Monitor. During October 1976, he reported to the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA, where he served as Operations Officer, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines; Executive Officer, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines; and Division Staff Secretary. He was promoted to Major in November 1977. In August 1979, he reported to the Marine Corps Command and Staff College as a student.
Upon completion of school in June 1980, he was assigned duty as Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Buffalo, NY. While in this assignment, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in October 1982. Reassigned to the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, General Pace served from June 1983 until June 1985 as Commanding Officer, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines. In June 1985, he was selected to attend the National War College in Washington DC.
After graduation the following June, he was assigned to the Combined/Joint Staff in Seoul, Korea. He served as Chief, Ground Forces Branch until April 1987, when he became Executive Officer to the Assistant Chief of Staff, C/J/G3, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea/Eighth United States Army.
General Pace returned to Marine Barracks in Washington DC in August 1988 for duty as Commanding Officer. He was promoted to Colonel in October 1988. In August 1991, he was assigned duty as Chief of Staff, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune. During February 1992, he was assigned duty as Assistant Division Commander. He was advanced to Brigadier General on April 6, 1992, and was assigned duty as the President, Marine Corps University/Commanding General, Marine Corps Schools, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, VA, on July 13, 1992. While serving in this capacity, he also served as Deputy Commander, Marine Forces, Somalia, from December 1992 - February 1993, and as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force - Somalia from October 1993 - March 1994. General Pace was advanced to Major General on June 21, 1994, and was assigned as the Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff, U. S. Forces, Japan. He was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned as the Director for Operations (J-3), Joint Staff, Washington DC on August 5, 1996.
General Pace served as the Commander, U. S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic/Europe/South from 23 November 1997 to 8 September 2000. He was promoted to General and assumed duties as the Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command on 8 September 2000 until 30 September 2001.
As the Vice Chairman from October 2001 to August 2005, General Pace served as the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, Vice Chairman of the Defense Acquisition Board, and as a member of the National Security Council Deputies Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Council.
General Pace's personal decorations include: Defense Distinguished Service Medal, with three oak leaf clusters; the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; the Army Distinguished Service Medal; the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal; the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal; the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with gold star; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V"; Navy Achievement Medal with gold star; and the Combat Action Ribbon.
In June, 2008, General Pace was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor a President can bestow.
General Pace is currently serving on the Board of Directors of several corporate entities involved in management consulting, private equity, and IT security. He served on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, and is currently on the Secretary of Defense’s Defense Policy Board. General Pace has been named a leader-in-residence and the Poling Chair of Business and Government, for the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University for the 2008-2010 tenure. He is a long-standing member of the Board of Directors for the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation – a charity that provides scholarship bonds to children of Marines or Federal law enforcement personnel who were killed while serving our country. He also heads up the advisory board to the Wall Street Warfighters Foundation, a nonprofit charity that provides vocational assessment, training support and job placement services for disabled military veterans interested in careers in the financial services industry. He and his wife Lynne are on the advisory board for Our Military Kids, an organization that supports children of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel with tutoring and enrichment activities.
General Pace and his wife, Lynne, have a son, Peter, a daughter, Tiffany Marie, a daughter-in-law, Lynsey Olczak Pace, and a granddaughter, Linden Elyse.
(updated Nov 2009)
The Naval Order website is maintained under the direction of CDR Robert C. Averill, USN (Ret.)