2018 Naval Academy Distinguished Graduates Announced

ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association will honor five Naval Academy alumni at the 20th Annual Distinguished Graduate Award ceremony on Friday, March 23, at 4:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall at the United States Naval Academy. The ceremony will be attended by the Brigade of Midshipmen; Naval Academy Superintendent Admiral Walter E. "Ted" Carter Jr. '81, USN; and Admiral Robert J. Natter '67, USN (Ret.), chairman of the Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees.

Each recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Graduate Award has demonstrated commitment to a lifetime of service and has made significant contributions to the U.S. Naval Academy, the Navy, the Marine Corps and the nation.

The 2018 Distinguished Graduates are: Rear Admiral Lawrence C. Chambers '52, USN (Ret.); Admiral James R. Hogg '56, USN (Ret.); Senator John S. McCain III '58; Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr. '68, USMC (Ret.); Steven S. Reinemund '70; and Admiral Timothy J. Keating '71, USN (Ret.).

"Our 2018 Naval Academy Distinguished Graduates represent a lifetime of personal and professional achievements in command, citizenship and government," said Byron F. Marchant '78, president and CEO of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. "It is an honor to recognize these extraordinary graduates as we mark the 20^th year of the Distinguished Graduate Award program."

Rear Admiral Lawrence C. Chambers '52, USN (Ret.)
The first African-American to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, Rear Admiral Chambers is best known for ordering millions of dollars in American helicopters pushed off the deck of Midway to make room for South Vietnamese Major Bung-Ly and his family to land their Cessna during the evacuation of Saigon.

Admiral James R. Hogg '56, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Hogg followed up a distinguished 35-year active duty career that included five major commands at sea and 10 Western Pacific deployments with an additional 18 years of service as the civilian director of the Chief of Naval Operations' Strategic Studies Group in Newport, RI. The Admiral James R. Hogg Future Forces Gallery at the Naval War College honors his seven decades of leadership and contributions as the Navy's "foremost futurist."

Senator John S. McCain III '58
The son of distinguished Navy admirals, Senator McCain launched a 22-year naval career after graduating from the Academy. On his 23^rd bombing mission during the Vietnam War, Senator McCain's plane was shot down and he was held captive as a prisoner of war for five-and-a-half years. He served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was elected to the United States Senate in 1986. He currently serves as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr. '68, USMC (Ret.)
A Marine aviator and test pilot, Major General Bolden entered the astronaut program in 1980. His initial 14 years with NASA included four space shuttle missions, two as pilot and two as commander. He returned to operational duty in 1994, assuming assignments including Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy and Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward in support of Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. He became NASA Administrator in 2009, a position he held until 2017.

Steven S. Reinemund '70
Following five years of service in the Marine Corps, Reinemund embarked on what would become a remarkable business career. He spent 22 years with PepsiCo, serving as chairman and CEO from 2001-2006, and executive chairman until 2007, a period in which revenues grew by $9 billion, net income rose 70 percent and market capitalization topped $100 billion for the first time in company history. From 2008 to 2014, Reinemund served as Dean of Business at Wake Forest University.

Admiral Timothy J. Keating '71, USN (Ret.).
Admiral Keating retired in 2009 after serving three years as Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, an area of responsibility including 3.4 billion people and half the surface of the earth. His 28-year Navy career also included tours as Commander, U.S. Northern Command and Commander, U.S. Aerospace Command. A naval aviator, he accumulated more than 5,000 hours in tactical jets and completed more than 1,200 carrier landings.

For more information, please visit www.usna.com/dga.

Contact: Courtney Jolley
Director of Communications
U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation
[email protected]
410-295-4075

To attend the ceremony or request an interview with an honoree, please contact Courtney Jolley (contact details above).

SOURCE United States Naval Academy Alumni Association

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