John Dickson Stufflebeem
Encyclopedia
John Dickson "Boomer" Stufflebeem, was a United States Navy
three-star vice admiral
and Director, Navy Staff. John Dickson “Boomer” Stufflebeem (born in 1952), is the Senior Vice President and founder of the NJS Group, LLC, a company specializing in strategic communications and planning as well as crisis management. Stufflebeem served thirty-three years in the United States Navy
and is well known for his football career and television briefings from the Pentagon following the attacks of 9/11 and subsequent military operations in Afghanistan.
during 1972-1974 and is still ranked as number three on the all-time list of Navy
records. He earned All East Coast Athletic Conference and Sports Illustrated honors in 1974 when he led the Navy team to a near upset of Notre Dame in Philadelphia. Nicknamed “Boomer” as a punter because of his punting on the Naval Academy
football team, he was signed to a professional football contract with the Detroit Lions
after graduation from 1975-1979. In 2000 at its annual awards banquet, the NCAA honored Stufflebeem as one of its Silver Anniversary Award
Recipients that recognizes up to six nationally distinguished former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary as college graduates. In recent years Bill Belichick
, head coach of the three time Super Bowl
champion New England Patriots
and former coach with the Detroit Lions
in the 1970s, has commented on Stufflebeem’s leadership prowess. In 2003 Belichick
had Stufflebeem, a former player of his from the Detroit Lions
, deliver a message to the New England Patriots
before a game. The theme was about sacrifice, commitment and a warrior's mentality and was set in the parallel context of playing professional football and pursuing the enemy in war. The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl
that season and invited Stufflebeem to join the team at the White House after the championship.
Stufflebeem became the face and voice from the Pentagon of U.S. military operations being conducted in Afghanistan
to remove the Taliban from power and rid the country of al Qaeda. For months he provided briefings from The Pentagon
to international television and radio media on the prosecution of what was known as Operation Enduring Freedom as most reporters were not in Afghanistan
during this time.
Stufflebeem led the first deployment of NATO Response Force
troops out of the European theater to Pakistan
. This was a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission in response to the earthquake that hit the Himalayan mountain range in the fall of 2005. Additionally, he supported the African Union Mission in Sudan, the political-military mission to address the problems occurring in Darfur.
of rear admiral
.
Stufflebeem was born in Japan in 1952 while his father was stationed there in the Navy. Stufflebeem enlisted in the Navy Reserve
in 1969 beginning his service as a deck seaman before being accepted into the United States Naval Academy
in 1971. He graduated from the academy in 1975 and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer in 1978 and Naval Aviator in 1980. Nicknamed "Boomer" as a punter on the Naval Academy football team, he played three seasons of professional football, punting for the Detroit Lions
during his first assignment after graduation.
As a commissioned officer, Stufflebeem served operational tours in a surface combatant, various fighter squadrons and carrier air wing staffs in the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. He commanded Fighter Squadron Eighty-Four and Carrier Air Wing One
during combat operations in the Balkans
and Persian Gulf
and Carrier Group Two/Task Force Sixty during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Stufflebeem has flown over 4,000 hours in a variety of fighter aircraft and has more than 1,000 aircraft carrier landings.
Additionally, Stufflebeem has served in staff assignments including Military Aide to President George H. W. Bush
, Deputy Executive Assistant and later, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations
. His first assignment as a flag officer was Deputy Director for Global Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Stufflebeem’s decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
, Defense Superior Service Medal
, Legion of Merit
(four awards), Bronze Star
, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medal
(two strike/flight awards).
On 20 May 2005 at Naval Support Activity Naples
, Stufflebeem was promoted to vice admiral and took command of the 6th Fleet, relieving then-Vice Admiral Harry Ulrich. He held this position until September 2007.
In December 2007, Stufflebeem assumed the duties of Director, Navy Staff, relieving then-Vice Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald
. Early in 2008, the Department of Defense began an investigation into an allegation that Stufflebeem had an inappropriate relationship while serving as a presidential military aide in 1990. The Navy announced on March 24, 2008 that Stufflebeem was removed as director of the Naval staff. His removal from his post was not directly due to the allegations. Since Stufflebeem no longer held a three-star assignment, he was reverted back to his permanent grade of rear admiral (upper half). This is because the rank of vice admiral is temporary and is only given if an officer occupies a three-star position. Rear Admiral Stufflebeem was reassigned to serve on the staff of the CNO pending his review.
On April 21, 2008, the US Navy announced that Stufflebeem had received a written reprimand as a result of the investigation. He retired from the Navy shortly thereafter.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
three-star vice admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
and Director, Navy Staff. John Dickson “Boomer” Stufflebeem (born in 1952), is the Senior Vice President and founder of the NJS Group, LLC, a company specializing in strategic communications and planning as well as crisis management. Stufflebeem served thirty-three years in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and is well known for his football career and television briefings from the Pentagon following the attacks of 9/11 and subsequent military operations in Afghanistan.
Career & Lifetime
- 1952-1969: Grew up in Navy family (father career officer), attended high school at Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, VA
- 1969-1971: Enlisted U.S. Navy Reserve
- 1971-1975: Midshipman, U.S. Naval Academy and member of the1972-1974 Navy football teams
- 1975-1979: Signed with NFL Detroit Lions (concurrent with US Navy)
- 1976-1978: Engineering officer in a warship
- 1978-1980: Naval Aviation training
- 1980-1989: F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in various squadrons
- 1989-1990: Military Aide to President George H.W. Bush
- 1991-1994: Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 84 with combat deployments to the Balkans and Persian Gulf
- 1994-1995: Deputy Executive Assistant to Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Mike Boorda
- 1995-1997: Deputy Commander and Commander of Carrier Air Wing 1 with combat deployments to the Persian Gulf
- 1998-2000: Executive Assistant to Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jay Johnson
- 2000-2002: Deputy Director for Global Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff during Operation Enduring Freedom
- 2002-2003: Commander Carrier Group 2/Commander Task Force 60 leading combat operations from the Mediterranean Sea over northern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom
- 2003-2005: Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Strategy (N3/5)
- 2005-2007: Commander U.S. 6th Fleet/Deputy Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Commander, Joint Command Lisbon (NATO)/Commander, Striking Forces NATO
- 2007-2008: Director, Navy Staff
- September 2008: Retired from the U.S. Navy; founded the NJS Group, a crisis communications and strategic planning consulting company
U.S. Military Awards & Decorations
 |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
 |
Defense Superior Service Medal w/ one Oak Leaf Cluster |
 |
Legion of Merit with three Gold Stars |
 |
Bronze Star Medal |
 |
Meritorious Service Medal |
 |
Air Medal w/ Bronze Numeral “2” |
 |
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one Gold Star |
 |
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal |
 |
Navy Unit Commendation |
 |
Meritorious Unit Commendation with two Bronze Stars |
 |
Navy "E" Ribbon |
 |
National Defense Service Medal with two Bronze Stars |
 |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
 |
Southwest Asia Service Medal with one Bronze Star |
 |
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
 |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
 |
Armed Forces Service Medal |
 |
Humanitarian Service Medal |
 |
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one Silver Star and one Bronze Star |
 |
Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ one Bronze Star |
 |
NATO Medal |
| Inter American Defense Board Medal | |
 |
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
 |
Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon w/ Silver “S” |
Foreign Awards
 |
Chevalier De La Légion D’Honneur (France) |
 |
Non Article 5 NATO Medal (Pakistan) |
| Military Merit Medal, First Class (Portugal) | |
| NATO Meritorious Service Medal | |
Devices & Badges
 |
Naval Aviator Wings |
| Surface Warfare Officer pin | |
 |
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |
| Presidential Service Badge | |
Football
Stufflebeem was a standout punter for the Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
during 1972-1974 and is still ranked as number three on the all-time list of Navy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
records. He earned All East Coast Athletic Conference and Sports Illustrated honors in 1974 when he led the Navy team to a near upset of Notre Dame in Philadelphia. Nicknamed “Boomer” as a punter because of his punting on the Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
football team, he was signed to a professional football contract with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
after graduation from 1975-1979. In 2000 at its annual awards banquet, the NCAA honored Stufflebeem as one of its Silver Anniversary Award
Silver Anniversary Awards (NCAA)
The Silver Anniversary Awards are given each year by the American National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize six distinguished former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary as college graduates. The Silver Anniversary Awards were first given in 1973, when five distinguished former...
Recipients that recognizes up to six nationally distinguished former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary as college graduates. In recent years Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, head coach of the three time Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and former coach with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the 1970s, has commented on Stufflebeem’s leadership prowess. In 2003 Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
had Stufflebeem, a former player of his from the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, deliver a message to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
before a game. The theme was about sacrifice, commitment and a warrior's mentality and was set in the parallel context of playing professional football and pursuing the enemy in war. The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
that season and invited Stufflebeem to join the team at the White House after the championship.
Spokesperson
Following the attacks on the U.S. of September 11, 2001, then Rear AdmiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Stufflebeem became the face and voice from the Pentagon of U.S. military operations being conducted in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to remove the Taliban from power and rid the country of al Qaeda. For months he provided briefings from The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
to international television and radio media on the prosecution of what was known as Operation Enduring Freedom as most reporters were not in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
during this time.
NATO
While commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization operational command in Lisbon, Portugal, then Vice AdmiralVice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Stufflebeem led the first deployment of NATO Response Force
NATO Response Force
The NATO Response Force is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable"...
troops out of the European theater to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. This was a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission in response to the earthquake that hit the Himalayan mountain range in the fall of 2005. Additionally, he supported the African Union Mission in Sudan, the political-military mission to address the problems occurring in Darfur.
Comments
Formerly he served as the Commander of the 6th Fleet and Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations. He subsequently retired from the Navy at his permanent two-star grade2 star rank
An officer of two-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-7. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members...
of rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
.
Stufflebeem was born in Japan in 1952 while his father was stationed there in the Navy. Stufflebeem enlisted in the Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
in 1969 beginning his service as a deck seaman before being accepted into the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1971. He graduated from the academy in 1975 and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer in 1978 and Naval Aviator in 1980. Nicknamed "Boomer" as a punter on the Naval Academy football team, he played three seasons of professional football, punting for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
during his first assignment after graduation.
As a commissioned officer, Stufflebeem served operational tours in a surface combatant, various fighter squadrons and carrier air wing staffs in the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. He commanded Fighter Squadron Eighty-Four and Carrier Air Wing One
Carrier Air Wing One
Carrier Air Wing One is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .-Mission:...
during combat operations in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and Carrier Group Two/Task Force Sixty during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Stufflebeem has flown over 4,000 hours in a variety of fighter aircraft and has more than 1,000 aircraft carrier landings.
Additionally, Stufflebeem has served in staff assignments including Military Aide to President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
, Deputy Executive Assistant and later, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
. His first assignment as a flag officer was Deputy Director for Global Operations (J-3) on the Joint Staff during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Stufflebeem’s decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
, Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(four awards), Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
(two strike/flight awards).
On 20 May 2005 at Naval Support Activity Naples
Naval Support Activity Naples
Naval Support Activity Naples is a United States Navy base, at Naples Airport in Naples, Italy. It is home to United States Naval Forces Europe and the United States Sixth Fleet.-History:...
, Stufflebeem was promoted to vice admiral and took command of the 6th Fleet, relieving then-Vice Admiral Harry Ulrich. He held this position until September 2007.
In December 2007, Stufflebeem assumed the duties of Director, Navy Staff, relieving then-Vice Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald
Mark P. Fitzgerald
Mark P. Fitzgerald is a retired United States Navy admiral. He is the former Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe - Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa and Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples. He previously served as Director, Navy Staff from December 2006 to November 2007 and Commander,...
. Early in 2008, the Department of Defense began an investigation into an allegation that Stufflebeem had an inappropriate relationship while serving as a presidential military aide in 1990. The Navy announced on March 24, 2008 that Stufflebeem was removed as director of the Naval staff. His removal from his post was not directly due to the allegations. Since Stufflebeem no longer held a three-star assignment, he was reverted back to his permanent grade of rear admiral (upper half). This is because the rank of vice admiral is temporary and is only given if an officer occupies a three-star position. Rear Admiral Stufflebeem was reassigned to serve on the staff of the CNO pending his review.
On April 21, 2008, the US Navy announced that Stufflebeem had received a written reprimand as a result of the investigation. He retired from the Navy shortly thereafter.