Admiral John Christopher Aquilino, USN (Ret.)
Admiral John Christopher Aquilino, USN (Ret.)
Named as the 2025 recipient of the DSSA, Senior Officer is Admiral John Christopher Aquilino, USN (Ret.).
Admiral John Christopher “Lung” Aquilino, USN (Ret.) last served as the 26th Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, (USINDOPACOM) the nation’s oldest and largest combatant command. USINDOPACOM includes 380,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Guardians, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense civilians and was responsible for all U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific, covering 36 nations, 14 time zones, and more than 50 percent of the world’s population. He has also served as commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces.
Aquilino was also the Navy's Old Goat, the longest serving United States Naval Academy graduate on active duty, having received the title and accompanying decanter from James F. Caldwell Jr. on 9 January 2024.
Naval Career
ADM Aquilino is native of Huntington, New York. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984, with a Bachelor of Science in physics. He subsequently entered flight training and earned his wings in August 1986.
Aquilino's operational assignments included fighter squadrons flying the F-14 A/B Tomcat and the F/A-18 C/E/F Hornet. His fleet assignments include the Ghost Riders of Fighter Squadron (VF) 142 and the Black Aces of VF-41. He commanded the Red Rippers of VF-11, Carrier Air Wing 2 and Carrier Strike Group (CSG)2/George H.W. Bush Strike Group. He has made extended deployments in support of Operations Deny Flight, Deliberate Force, Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
ADM Aquilino’s assignments ashore included duties as an adversary instructor pilot flying the A-4, F-5, and F-16N aircraft for the Challengers (VF-43); operations officer for the Strike Weapons and Tactics School, Atlantic; flag aide to the vice chief of naval operations; special assistant for weapons systems and advanced development in the office of legislative affairs for the U.S. secretary of defense; director of air wing readiness and training for the commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; and executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.
His flag assignments included director of strategy and policy, U.S. Joint Forces Command; deputy director, joint force coordinator, the Joint Staff; commander, Carrier Strike Group 2 aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77); director of maritime operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet; deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy; and commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces. Prior to his assignment to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Aquilino served as the 36th commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet. Aquilino had assumed duties as commander, United States Pacific Fleet, on 17 May 2018, the 63rd commander since the fleet's Pearl Harbor headquarters was established in February 1941. He was relieved of the same duties on the morning of 30 April 2021, and subsequently relieved AMD Philip S. Davidson as commander of Indo-Pacific Command later that day.
Aquilino graduated from Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and the Joint Forces Staff College. He completed Harvard Kennedy School’s executive education program in national and international security.
Awards and Decorations
His awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal with two gold stars, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with strike flight numeral 6, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star as well as several other personal unit and campaign awards. He accumulated more than 5,100 mishap free flight hours and over 1,150 carrier-arrested landings.