Rear Adm. Robert Gaucher, director for Strategic Integration, N2/N6T, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In May 2023 Gaucher was nominated to lead Naval Submarine Forces. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
By Rich Abott |
@ReaderRabott
11 months ago |
05/09/2023
Navy/USMC

The Pentagon announced that President Biden nominated new commanders to lead the Naval Submarine Forces and 2nd Fleet on May 5.

Rear Adm. Robert Gaucher is set to be promoted to a three-star vice admiral and assigned as commander of Naval Submarine Forces; Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and commander of Allied Submarine Command. He currently serves as director of Strategic Integration, N2/N6T within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).

Rear Adm. Robert Gaucher, director for Strategic Integration, N2/N6T, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In May 2023 Gaucher was nominated to lead Naval Submarine Forces. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
Rear Adm. Robert Gaucher, director for Strategic Integration, N2/N6T, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In May 2023 Gaucher was nominated to lead Naval Submarine Forces. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

If confirmed, Gaucher will succeed Vice Adm. William Houston, who last week was promoted to full admiral and nominated to lead the Navy and Energy Department’s naval nuclear propulsion program (Defense Daily, May 4).

Gaucher assumed his current role within the Office of the CNO in August 2022. Previously, he served as commander of Submarine Group 9/ Task Group 114.3, director of Maritime Headquarters (N03) at U.S. Pacific Fleet, chief of staff of the Commander of  Submarine Forces Atlantic, and commander of Development Squadron Five.

Separately, Biden nominated Rear Adm. Douglas Perry to become vice admiral and assigned as commander of the 2nd Fleet and Joint Forces Command Norfolk, Va. Perry currently serves as director of Undersea Warfare Division, N97 within the office of the CNO, which he has served in since 2021.

Previously Perry served as commander of Submarine Development Squadron Five, the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Pasadena (SSN-752), deputy commander of Submarine Squadron 7, and Submarine Force Atlantic chief of staff.

If confirmed, Parry will succeed current 2nd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer, who himself was nominated in March to be assigned as deputy chief of naval operations for Warfighting Development, N7, within the Office of the CNO (Defense Daily, March 23).

It remains unclear when any of these nominations will go through because Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is keeping over 100 Defense Department military and civilian nominations on hold over opposition to DoD policies that allow service members to take out-of-state leave for reproductive healthcare, including abortions.