Rear Admiral Jeffrey A. Harley

Rear Adm. Harley assumed his current duties as Commander Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven and Task Force 76, May 24, 2012. He is responsible for the expeditionary and amphibious operations throughout U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, ranging from humanitarian and disaster relief missions to full combat operations.

Harley's formative sea duty assignments include tours as anti-submarine warfare officer and Combat Information Center officer in USS Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG 13); chief engineer in USS David R. Ray (DD 971); operations officer in USS Cowpens (CG 63); executive officer in USS Benfold (DDG 65); commanding officer in USS Milius (DDG 69); and, Commander, Destroyer Squadron Nine. During these operational tours, he completed five deployments to the Western Pacific/Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Arabian Gulf. While commanding Milius, the ship participated in combat operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Ashore, Harley served as fleet scheduler for the commander in chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, executive assistant to the director for Operational Plans and Joint Force Development (J-7) on the Joint Staff, Asia-Pacific branch head in Deep Blue (N3/N5), and as director for Strategic Actions (N00Z) for the Chief of Naval Operations. He also served as the 20th director, White House Situation Room and was the vice director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) at U.S. Central Command.

Harley attended the University of Minnesota graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and has received Master of Arts degrees from the Naval War College and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Additionally, he served as a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, and is a member of the Council.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.