2023 DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD MEDAL CEREMONY 24 March 2023 • Alumni Hall
2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS
The 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award medal ceremony marks the 25th year of honoring and celebrating the lives of alumni through the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award program.
Each year, distinguished graduates are honored for their demonstrated and unselfish commitment to a lifetime of service, their personal character and the significant contributions they have made to the Navy and Marine Corps or as leaders in industry or government. They are the living embodiment of the Academy’s mission to develop leaders to “assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”
We honor these five individuals for the principles they stand for—today and always.
MAJOR GENERAL LEO V. WILLIAMS III ’70, USMCR (RET.)
MR. RONALD L. NICOL ’75
ADMIRAL JAMES G. STAVRIDIS ’76, USN (RET.)
REAR ADMIRAL JULIUS S. CAESAR ’77, USNR (RET.)
ADMIRAL CECIL D. HANEY ’78, USN (RET.)
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2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS
The 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award medal ceremony marks the 25th year of honoring and celebrating the lives of alumni through the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award program.
Each year, distinguished graduates are honored for their demonstrated and unselfish commitment to a lifetime of service, their personal character, the significant contributions they have made to the Navy and Marine Corps and as leaders in industry and government. They are the embodiment of fulfilling the academy’s mission to develop leaders to “assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”
We honor these five individuals for the principles they stand for—today and always.
MAJOR GENERAL LEO V. WILLIAMS III ’70, USMCR (RET.)
RONALD L. NICOL ’75
ADMIRAL JAMES G. STAVRIDIS ’76, USN (RET.)
REAR ADMIRAL JULIUS S. CAESAR ’77, USNR (RET.)
ADMIRAL CECIL D. HANEY ’78, USN (RET.)
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SELECTION PANEL
DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD SELECTION PANEL CHAIRMAN
Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. ’78, USN (Ret.)
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDATION PRESIDENT AND CEO
Jeff R. Webb ’95
PANEL MEMBERS
Rear Admiral A.B. Cruz III ’80, USN (Ret.)
C. Michael Petters ’82
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck ’83, USN
Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe ’84, USN (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Lori E. Reynolds ’86, USMC (Ret.)
Matice J. Wright-Springer ’88
Ian M. Cameron ’12
Admiral Mark E. Ferguson III ’78, USN (Ret.)*
*Alumni Association Board of Trustees Chair, non-voting
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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
On behalf of the DGA Selection Panel, heartiest congratulations to the awardees. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your energy, passion and success in your respective vocations. And thank you for your contributions to the Naval Academy and its mission. You have made a tangible difference. Your families deserve a special shout out—we are, indeed, grateful to them for supporting each of you.
Selecting today’s honorees from a field of accomplished alumni was challenging and humbling. The Naval Academy is richly blessed to have so many accomplished graduates. While each journey was different, all of today’s honorees began their careers here at this great institution which continues to serve as a foundation of service, leadership and character for our Nation.
My thanks to the selection panel and to the Naval Academy and Alumni Association and Foundation staff for planning and executing today’s ceremony. I especially want to thank those selection panelists who served for three cycles and are rotating off the panel: Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe ’84, USN (Ret.), Matice J. Wright-Springer ’88 and George P. O’Garro ’05. Finally, to the Brigade, our alumni and guests: Thank you for joining us for this special event as we celebrate the extraordinary lives of our fellow graduates.
Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. ’78, USN (Ret.) Chairman, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award Selection Panel
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PROGRAM
ARRIVAL OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY
PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND NATIONAL ANTHEM
INTRODUCTION OF THE 2023 DISTINGUISHED GRADUATES
NARRATOR
Midshipman Grant Booker ’23, USN Class President
IN MEMORIAM AND INVOCATION
Captain Maurice A. Buford, USN U.S. Naval Academy Command Chaplain
WELCOME AND REMARKS
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck ’83, USN Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy
PRESENTATION OF DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD MEDALS
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck ’83, USN Superintendent, U.S. Naval Academy
Admiral Mark E. Ferguson III '78, USN (Ret.) Chairman, U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees
Midshipman Michael F. Castellanos '23, USN Brigade Commander
REMARKS
Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients
“NAVY BLUE AND GOLD”
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WILLIAMS
Major General Williams was the first Black Virginian to graduate from the Naval Academy. Serving 33 years in the Marine Corps, including 25 in the Marine Corps Reserve, he is a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism. During his 25 years with Ford Motor Company, Williams was responsible for naming the Ford Expedition. He took that opportunity to give a salute to the expeditionary “go anywhere, do anything” character of the Marine Corps. He served 20 consecutive years on either the Naval Academy Foundation or Alumni Association. He was the first Black member of the Foundation, served 6 years as vice chairman of the Alumni Association and was pivotal to the creation of Shared Interest Groups.
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Major General Leo V. Williams III ’70, USMCR (Ret.)
NICOL
Nicol has championed the Naval Academy as an industry executive ambassador in the corporate world for more than 40 years, and as Boston Consulting Group senior partner by hiring and mentoring Naval Academy alumni. Nicol led the donation of advanced measuring instruments to equip the Academy’s Center for Cyber Security Studies in Hopper Hall. He is a trustee for the Naval Academy Foundation Athletic & Scholarship Programs and a member of the Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors.
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Ronald L. Nicol ’75
STAVRIDIS
Admiral Stavridis was a surface warrior for his 37-year Navy career and is the only naval officer to serve as supreme allied commander NATO, commander U.S. European Command and commander U.S. Southern Command. He also commanded Destroyer Squadron 21 and Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, both in combat. Stavridis has published 12 books—including six national bestsellers—and produced fundamental textbooks for the surface Navy including Division Officer’s Guide, Watch Officer’s Guide and Command at Sea. He actively mentors alumni and is the only person to have delivered four Forrestal Lectures.
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Admiral James G. Stavridis ’76, USN (Ret.)
CAESAR
Rear Admiral Caesar achieved flag rank as a Navy Reserve officer while making his mark in the private sector. Caesar is an executive with NetApp Inc., a Fortune 500 firm. Helping support a culture of inclusion within the alumni community, Caesar is president of the Naval Academy Minority Association (NAMA) Shared Interest Group. He began STEM and admissions programs for school-aged students in underserved areas and organized the first Naval Academy Alumni Leadership Forum featuring the Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations.
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Rear Admiral Julius S. Caesar ’77, USNR (Ret.)
HANEY
Admiral Haney was the first Black four-star submariner, and the second Black officer to serve as a four-star in the Navy’s history. As Pacific Fleet commander, he led the largest fleet in the Navy, and as Strategic Command commander was responsible for the nation’s nuclear, cyber and space forces. He is an original member of the Centennial Seven—the first seven Black submarine commanding officers in the 20th century. His efforts with the Centennial Seven team resulted in nearly tripling the number of Black submarine commanding officers in the 21st century. Haney serves as vice chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation Board of Directors.
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Admiral Cecil D. Haney ’78, USN (Ret.)
PAST RECIPIENTS
1999
Admiral Thomas H. Moorer ’33, USN (Ret.) (1912-2004)
2000
Dr. John J. McMullen ’40 (1918-2005)
Admiral James L. Holloway III ’43, USN (Ret.) (1922-2019)
Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence ’51, USN (Ret.) (1930-2005)
Major General William A. Anders ’55, USAFR (Ret.)
Roger T. Staubach ’65
2001
Captain John W. Crawford Jr. ’42, USN (Ret.) (1919-2022)
Admiral William J. Crowe Jr. ’47, USN (Ret.) (1925-2007)
Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale ’47, USN (Ret.) (1923-2005)
Admiral James D. Watkins ’49, USN (Ret.) (1927-2012)
Captain James A. Lovell ’52, USN (Ret.)
2002
Vice Admiral Charles S. Minter Jr. ’37, USN (Ret.) (1915-2008)
President James E. Carter Jr. ’47
Admiral Carlisle A.H. Trost ’53, USN (Ret.) (1930-2020)
Colonel John W. Ripley ’62, USMC (Ret.) (1939-2008)
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PAST RECIPIENTS
2003
Ambassador William H.G. FitzGerald ’31 (1909-2006)
Rear Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey ’35, USN (Ret.) (1913-2007)
Rear Admiral Robert W. McNitt ’38, USN (Ret.) (1915-2012)
Vice Admiral William D. Houser ’42, USN (Ret.) (1921-2012)
2004
Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak ’34, USMC (Ret.) (1913-2008)
Vice Admiral Gerald E. Miller ’42, USN (Ret.) (1919-2014)
Vice Admiral James F. Calvert ’43, USN (Ret.) (1920-2009)
Lieutenant General Charles G. Cooper ’50, USMC (Ret.) (1927-2009)
Rear Admiral Ronald F. Marryott ’57, USN (Ret.) (1934-2005)
2005
Captain Slade D. Cutter ’35, USN (Ret.) (1911-2005)
Rear Admiral Robert H. Wertheim ’46, USN (Ret.) (1922-2020)
Admiral Ronald J. Hays ’50, USN (Ret.) (1928-2021)
H. Ross Perot ’53 (1930-2019)
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PAST RECIPIENTS
2006
Captain Thomas J. Hudner ’47, USN (Ret.) (1924-2017)
Admiral Kinnaird R. McKee ’51, USN (Ret.) (1929-2013)
General Robert T. Herres ’54, USAF (Ret.) (1932-2008)
Admiral Charles R. Larson ’58, USN (Ret.) (1936-2014)
2007
Rear Admiral Maurice H. Rindskopf ’38, USN (Ret.) (1917-2011)
Admiral Thomas B. Hayward ’48, USN (Ret.) (1924-2022)
Ralph W. Hooper ’51 (1928-2020)
Admiral Leighton W. Smith Jr. ’62, USN (Ret.)
2008
James W. Kinnear III ’50
Admiral Frank B. Kelso II ’56, USN (Ret.) (1933-2013)
Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Montoya ’58, CEC, USN (Ret.) (1935-2015)
Lieutenant General William M. Keys ’60, USMC (Ret.)
Admiral Henry G. Chiles Jr. ’60, USN (Ret.)
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PAST RECIPIENTS
2009
John E. Nolan ’50 (1927-2017)
Admiral Bruce DeMars ’57, USN (Ret.)
J. Ronald Terwilliger ’63
Admiral Joseph W. Prueher ’64, USN (Ret.)
General Peter Pace ’67, USMC (Ret.)
2010
David J. Dunn ’55 (1930-2021)
Admiral Leon A. Edney ’57, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Lynch ’64, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Joseph Paul Reason ’65, USN (Ret.)
General Carlton W. Fulford Jr. ’66, USMC (Ret.)
2011
Rear Admiral Robert H. Shumaker ’56, USN (Ret.)
Dr. Bradford N. Parkinson ’57
Lieutenant General Matthew T. Cooper ’58, USMC (Ret.)
Corbin A. McNeill Jr. ’62
2012
Admiral Sylvester R. Foley Jr. ’50, USN (Ret.) (1928-2019)
The Honorable Daniel L. Cooper ’57
Captain Bruce McCandless II ’58, USN (Ret.) (1937-2017)
Vice Admiral John R. Ryan ’67, USN (Ret.)
Daniel F. Akerson ’70
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PAST RECIPIENTS
2013
Roger E. Tetrault ’63 (1941-2020)
The Honorable John Scott Redd ’66
Ambassador Richard L. Armitage ’67
Admiral Thomas B. Fargo ’70, USN (Ret.)
2014
Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford ’52, USAF (Ret.)
Rear Admiral William C. Miller ’62, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Steve Abbot ’66, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Michael G. Mullen ’68, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. ’70, USN (Ret.)
2015
Admiral Henry H. Mauz Jr. ’59, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Richard W. Mies ’67, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. ’69, USN (Ret.)
David M. Robinson ’87
2016
Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn ’51, USN (Ret.)
The Honorable John H. Dalton ’64
Captain Carl H. June ’75, MC, USN (Ret.)
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PAST RECIPIENTS
2017
Admiral Harry D. Train II ’49, USN (Ret.)
Milledge A. Hart III ’56
Vice Admiral Cutler Dawson Jr. ’70, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Eric T. Olson ’73, USN (Ret.)
2018
Rear Admiral Lawrence C. Chambers ’52, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James R. Hogg ’56, USN (Ret.)
Senator John S. McCain III ’58 (1936-2018)
Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr. ’68, USMC (Ret.)
Steven S. Reinemund ’70
Admiral Timothy J. Keating ’71, USN (Ret.)
2019
Dr. J. Phillip London ’59 (1937-2021)
Admiral Robert J. Natter ’67, USN (Ret.)
Colonel Walter P. Havenstein ’71, USMCR (Ret.)
Admiral Robert F. Willard ’73, USN (Ret.)
Captain Wendy B. Lawrence ’81, USN (Ret.)
2020
Vice Admiral Edward M. Straw ’61, SC, USN (Ret.)
Colonel Robert D. Cabana ’71, USMC (Ret.)
Admiral Kirkland H. Donald ’75, USN (Ret.)
The Honorable Sean J. Stackley ’79
15
PAST RECIPIENTS
2021
Kevin W. Sharer ’70
General John R. Allen ’76, USMC (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Derwood Curtis ’76, USN (Ret.)
Janie L. Mines ’80
Lieutenant Bradley W. Snyder ’06, USN (Ret.)
2022
Peter F. de Vos ’71
Vice Admiral William D. Crowder ’74, USN (Ret.)
J. Michael Yeager ’76
Rear Admiral Margaret D. Klein ’81, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Walter E. Carter ’81, USN (Ret.)
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2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS
The 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award medal ceremony marks the 25th year of honoring and celebrating the lives of alumni through the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award program.
Each year, distinguished graduates are honored for their demonstrated and unselfish commitment to a lifetime of service, their personal character and the significant contributions they have made to the Navy and Marine Corps or as leaders in industry or government. They are the living embodiment of the Academy’s mission to develop leaders to “assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”
NAVY BLUE AND GOLD
We honor these five individuals for the principles they stand for—today and always.
Now colleges from sea to sea, may sing of colors true, But who has better right than we, to hoist a symbol hue? For Sailors brave in battle fair, since fighting days of old Have proved the Sailor’s right to wear, the Navy Blue and Gold.
MAJOR GENERAL LEO V. WILLIAMS III ’70, USMCR (RET.)
MR. RONALD L. NICOL ’75
ADMIRAL JAMES G. STAVRIDIS ’76, USN (RET.)
REAR ADMIRAL JULIUS S. CAESAR ’77, USNR (RET.)
ADMIRAL CECIL D. HANEY ’78, USN (RET.)
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MISSIONS
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
To serve and support the United States, the naval service, the Naval Academy and its alumni; by furthering the highest standards at the Naval Academy; by seeking out, informing, encouraging and assisting outstanding, qualified young men and women to pursue careers as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps through the Naval Academy; and, by initiating and sponsoring activities which will perpetuate the history, traditions, memories and growth of the Naval Academy and bind alumni together in support of the highest ideals of command, citizenship and government.
