Berkley Center

Admiral Mike Mullen was sworn in as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 1, 2007, serving until September 30, 2011. He served as the principal military advisor to the president, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. A native of Los Angeles, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968. He commanded three ships: the gasoline tanker USS Noxubee (AOG 56), the guided missile destroyer USS Goldsborough (DDG 20) and the guided missile cruiser USS Yorktown (CG 48). His last operational assignment was as commander, NATO Joint Force Command Naples/Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe. Mullen is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School and earned a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. Prior to becoming chairman, Mullen served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations.