Flag Officers from Duke University
ADM Frank Bowman ('66)
Frank L. "Skip" Bowman served more than 38 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a four-star admiral. He served as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program while concurrently serving as Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors in the National Nuclear Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy. As a flag officer, he also served on the Joint Staff as Director of Political-Military Affairs and as Chief of Naval Personnel. At sea, he commanded the nuclear submarine USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and the submarine tender USS Holland (AS-32).
Following his naval career, he served as President and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute and later became President of Strategic Decisions, LLC. Bowman serves on the boards of directors of Morgan Stanley Mutual Funds; BP p.l.c.; Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP; and the American Shipbuilding Suppliers Association. He is a member of the National Security Advisory Council of the Center for U.S. Global Engagement. His honors include the Robert S. Landauer Memorial Lecture Award, an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Duke University (2003), appointment as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2005), and the French Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (2007). Admiral Bowman has served on numerous corporate and advisory boards, including Morgan Stanley Mutual Funds, BP p.l.c., and multiple national security and energy organizations, as well as nonprofit and academic institutions.
Gen Walter Boomer ('60)
Walter E. Boomer is a retired four-star general in the United States Marine Corps. He served as an infantry officer with combat service in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967 and returned in 1971 as an advisor to a South Vietnamese Marine infantry battalion. In August 1990, he deployed to Saudi Arabia as Commanding General, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command and I Marine Expeditionary Force during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He later served as Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, followed by Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico. He was promoted to general in 1992 and assumed duty as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with gold star (second award), Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals with Combat “V,” Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” and Combat Action Ribbon. Additional awards include multiple unit citations and campaign medals, as well as international honors such as the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the King Faisal Award (2d Class), and the French Ordre National du Mérite.
VADM Jeff Hughes ('88)
Jeffrey W. "Huge" Hughes is a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy currently serving as Deputy Chief of Staff, Capability Development at Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation, NATO. He was designated a naval aviator in 1989 and flew the MH-60R Seahawk and SH-60B Seahawk throughout his career. His operational commands include serving as executive officer and 14th commanding officer of HSL-48 and as Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet. His shore assignments include Navy Space Command Detachment Alfa officer-in-charge, aviation detailer roles at Navy Personnel Command, division chief for Africa in the Joint Staff (J5), and executive assistant to the Director of Air Warfare (OPNAV N98). As a flag officer, he has served as Commander, Navy Recruiting Command; Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 2; Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel/Commander, Navy Personnel Command; and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (N7). While commanding Expeditionary Strike Group 2, he also served as Commander, Task Force 189, leading 4,500 Sailors and Marines in disaster relief operations following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
He holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, where he graduated with distinction in 2008. His decorations include two awards of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, four awards of the Legion of Merit, and multiple unit and campaign awards.
VADM Frank Whitworth ('89)
Frank D. "Trey" Whitworth is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy who served as the eighth Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. His command tours included commander of Joint Intelligence Center Central, commanding officer of the Navy Element at U.S. Central Command, and commanding officer of the Kennedy Irregular Warfare Center. His operational assignments included director of intelligence for the Joint Staff, U.S. Africa Command, Joint Special Operations Command, and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, as well as multiple deployments to Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as director of intelligence for Naval Special Warfare Development Group and held roles supporting Operations Desert Storm, Allied Force, and Provide Comfort. His shore assignments included the National Security Agency, the White House Situation Room, the Office of Naval Intelligence, and the National Military Joint Intelligence Center, as well as serving as an intelligence briefer for the Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy.
His decorations include three awards of the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, four Bronze Star Medals, and four Defense Meritorious Service Medals, along with multiple distinguished intelligence and leadership awards. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and currently serves as CEO of r4 Federal, the national security subsidiary of r4 Technologies.
VADM Gordon Nagler ('45)
Gordon R. Nagler served 39 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a Vice Admiral. He enlisted in 1943 and was commissioned as an ensign shortly before the end of World War II. Early in his career, he volunteered for and participated in Rear Adm. Richard Byrd’s South Pole expedition, serving aboard Antarctic operations support vessels. He went on to command six different ships, achieving his first command as a lieutenant junior grade at age 25. As a rear admiral, he commanded a battle group in the Mediterranean with USS America (CV-66) as flagship. His senior staff assignments included duty with the Atlantic Fleet, Pacific Fleet, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Atlantic Fleet Mine Force. His final assignment was Director of Naval Command and Control for the Chief of Naval Operations prior to his retirement in 1984.
His decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Gold Star, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and Joint Service Commendation Medal.
LtGen Emerson Gardner ('73)
Emerson N. "Emo" Gardner was a retired three-star lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps. He qualified as a Marine Corps aviator and flew a wide range of helicopters, including presidential support aircraft assigned to Marine One. During Operation Desert Storm, he served as commander of a Marine helicopter squadron. He later commanded the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), completing deployments that included security operations in the former Yugoslavia and non-combatant evacuation operations in Africa. As a general officer, he served as Assistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Director for Operations at U.S. Pacific Command, Deputy Commandant for Programs and Resources, and Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation for the Department of Defense. Following the attacks of September 11, he also supported joint operations in Afghanistan through Central Command’s operations center.
He was an Olmsted Scholar and studied at the University of Göttingen in Germany as well as the Norwegian Defense College.
RADM Kevin Lenox ('90)
Kevin P. Lenox is a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and currently serves as Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command. He is an honors graduate of the Navy Nuclear Power Program and holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, with distinction, from the U.S. Naval War College. As a naval aviator, he has accumulated over 3,700 flight hours in the SH-60F and HH-60H Seahawk helicopters. His operational assignments include Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 8, Carrier Air Wing 5 embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), HS-4, and executive officer of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). His command tours include HS-7, USS Denver (LPD-9), USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during a combat deployment supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, and Carrier Strike Group 3. His shore assignments include instructor duty at HS-10, program management at Naval Air Systems Command, service at the Cheyenne Mountain Space and Missile Warning Center, and Deputy Director of Operations at U.S. Central Command.
His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Meritorious Service Medal.
RADM Jonathan Rucker ('94)
Jonathan (Jon) Rucker is a Rear Admiral of The United States Navy. His flag assignments include Program Executive Officer for Attack Submarines, leading seven programs, offices, and directorates (2022-2026). In April 2026, he shifted to be the Director, Design and Construction, in Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager, Submarines, where he is responsible for the design and construction of all submarines. RADM Rucker was first designated into the submarine community, where his operational tours included USS LOUISVILLE (SSN 724) as a Division Officer and USS SAN FRANCISCO (SSN 711) as the Combat Systems Officer and Quality Assurance Officer. He also served as an Assistant Professor and Officer in Charge at the NROTC Unit at Duke University. Rucker deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as Chief Engineer in charge of jamming systems in support of Counter Improvised Electronic Device (IED) efforts. In 2002, Rucker laterally transferred to the Engineering Duty Officer community, and in 2005, after finishing at MIT, he reported to the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, where he served as the Lead Ship Coordinator and as VIRGINIA Waterfront Coordinator in charge of seven VIRGINIA class submarines. Rucker’s Acquisition and program management experience include serving as the Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Post Delivery at the VIRGINIA Program Office (PMS450); APM for New Acquisitions in the Advanced Undersea Systems Program Office (PMS394); Military Assistant for the Undersecretary for Defense for Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics; APM for New Construction & Test at PMS450; Program Manager for Unmanned Maritime Systems (PMS406); and Program Manager for the COLUMBIA Class Submarine Program (PMS397).