Robin Rumble Braun (born 1958) is a retired vice admiral of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. Her last assignment was as Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force. She assumed that assignment on 13 August 2012. She was the first female commander of the United States Navy Reserve, and the first woman to lead any Reserve component of the United States military. Prior to her last assignment, Braun served as Deputy Director, European Plans and Operations Center, ECJ-3

United States 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, Russi ...

Early life and education

The daughter of a career naval aviator, Braun was born in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...

, in 1958. She is a graduate of

Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was founded in 1899 as the final public university established in the Arizona Territory, 13 years before Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. ...

. She was commissioned in 1980 and was designated a

naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...

in 1981.

Naval career

Change of Command in New Orleans DVIDS195966

Braun's first assignment was to Training Squadron (VT) 31, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, where she served as an instructor pilot in the T-44 aircraft. She was then assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 3, NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, serving as a mission commander, aircraft commander, and instructor pilot in the

EC-130Q The Lockheed Martin EC-130 series comprises several slightly different versions of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules that have been and continue to be operated by the U.S. Air Force and, until the 1990s, the U.S. Navy. The EC-130E Airborne Battlefie ...

aircraft and providing airborne communications to strategic forces. Subsequent squadron tours include Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 61, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, and VR-51,

NAS Glenview Naval Air Station Glenview or NAS Glenview was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995. Located in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, the air base primarily operated training aircraft as well as seaplanes on nearby Lake M ...

, Illinois. Braun was selected for aviation command and served as commanding officer of VR-48, NAF Washington, D.C. During her tour, the squadron was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Safety Award. Her subsequent command tours included Navy Air Logistics Office (NALO), Navy Reserve Carrier Strike Group 10 supporting the and

Joint Task Force Katrina {{no footnotes, date=December 2016 Joint Task Force Katrina was a joint operation between the United States Department of Defense and the Federal Emergency Management Agency created on September 1, 2005, at Camp Shelby, Mississippi to organize re ...

, and Tactical Support Center 0793 supporting Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five. Vice Adm

Staff assignments include naval intern on the Joint Staff (J3), Aviation Initial Assignments detailer at Navy Personnel Command, facilitator for the Naval Safety Center's Culture Workshop Program and chief of staff, CNO Operations and Plans supporting chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) N3/N5. Upon selection to flag rank, Braun reported to

Navy Recruiting Command The United States Navy Recruiting Command (NRC or NAVCRUITCOM) is located in Millington, Tennessee. It aims to recruit both enlisted sailors and prospective commissioned officers for the United States Navy. NRC covers the entire United States wit ...

where she served as deputy commander and commander until 2009. Subsequently, she was assigned as director, Total Force Management for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance (OPNAV N2/N6). Braun served as deputy director, European Plans and Operations Center (ECJ-3), United States European Command, Patch Barracks,

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

, Germany. Braun has accumulated over 5,800 flight hours in Navy aircraft. Her awards include the

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

(three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards). In May 2012, Braun was nominated for the rank of vice admiral and Chief of Navy Reserve. On 13 August 2012, she relieved Vice Admiral Dirk J. Debbink. On 26 September 2016, she was relieved by Vice Admiral Luke M. McCollum.

References

External links

Navy Reserve Centennial Address, with Vice Admiral Robin R. Braun
at the

Pritzker Military Museum & Library The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (formerly Pritzker Military Library) is a non-profit museum and a research library for the study of military history on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The institution was founded in 2003, and its spe ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Braun, Robin R. 1958 births Female admirals of the United States Navy Living people Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Naval Aviators United States Navy vice admirals 21st-century American women American women aviators