Christopher C. French is a United States Navy

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

who serves as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy since August 18, 2021. A career judge advocate, French was commissioned into the Navy via the

JAG Corps The Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, is the military justice branch or specialty of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called judg ...

Student Program in 1992, graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1990, the Villanova University School of Law in 1993 and from the Georgetown University Law Center with an L.L.M. degree in 2004.

Early life and education

French was born in Albany, New York. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1990. French was commissioned through the Judge Advocate General's Corps Student Program in 1992, graduating in 1993 from the Villanova University School of Law. He later earned a Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004.

Naval and JAG Career

At sea, French served as the fleet judge advocate to Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet; staff judge advocate to Commander, Carrier Strike Group FIVE; and legal officer, aboard

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) USS ''Nimitz'' (CVN-68) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched, and commissioned as CVAN-68, "aircraft carrier, attack, nuclea ...

. His other assignments include legal counsel,

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...

; staff judge advocate,

U.S. European Command The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia ...

; deputy legal advisor to the

National Security Council A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a na ...

; special counsel to the

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...

; commanding officer, U.S. Region Legal Service Office, Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia; chief of Operational Law, Multi-National Forces, Iraq; deputy legal counsel, Office of the Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; assistant force judge advocate, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe; staff judge advocate, Naval Special Warfare Development Group. French began his legal career first as a trial counsel and later as the senior defense counsel at Naval Legal Service Office, Middle Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) on July 31, 2018, and rear admiral on August 1, 2021.

Awards and decorations

Effective dates of promotions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:French, Christopher Date of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Albany, New York People from Brooklyn Military personnel from New York (state) 20th-century American lawyers 21st-century American lawyers Lawyers from Albany, New York United States Navy rear admirals (upper half) University of New Hampshire alumni Villanova University School of Law alumni Georgetown University Law Center Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit