Submarine Group 7

Commander, Task Force 54 / Commander Task Force 74

Yokosuka, Japan
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Rear Admiral Christopher Cavanaugh

Commander, Submarine Group 7

Commander, Task Force 74/54

Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh is a native of Convoy, Ohio and a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He earned master’s degrees from the University of California at Berkeley in Nuclear Engineering and from the Catholic University of America in Foreign Affairs.

At sea, he served as a division officer in USS Portsmouth (SSN 707), engineer officer in USS Charlotte (SSN 766), and executive officer in USS Asheville (SSN 758).

He commanded USS Albuquerque (SSN 706), where he led a crew that completed two successful Western Pacific deployments, earned a Navy Unit Commendation, and was awarded the Battle Efficiency “E.” He also commanded Submarine Squadron 11, where he deployed to Argentina to lead search and rescue efforts for a missing submarine, ARA San Juan.

Ashore, he served as a strategic planner/action officer in the Strategy and Policy Division (N51) for the Chief of Naval Operations; squadron engineer for Commander, Submarine Squadron 3; submarine executive officer/post-executive officer detailer (PERS-421) for Commander, Navy Personnel Command; deputy Nuclear Propulsion Program Manager (N133B) for the Chief of Naval Personnel; chief of the Program and Budget Branch (J8 PBAD) for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and concurrently as director of the Submarine/Nuclear Officer Distribution Division (PERS-42) for Commander, Navy Personnel Command and Nuclear Propulsion Program Manager (N133) for the Chief of Naval Personnel.

As a flag officer, he served as Director, Maritime Headquarters and Sustainment for Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In that assignment, he also served as Commander/ Deputy Commander, Task Force LOGISTICS (TF 504) for the Indo-Pacific Theater Joint Force Maritime Component Commander.

Throughout his career, he was a member of teams that earned the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation (six awards), Battle Efficiency “E” (four awards), and various campaign awards.