J. Paul Reason facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Paul Reason
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Admiral Joseph Paul Reason (1996)
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| Born | March 22, 1941 Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1965–1999 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands held | USS Coontz (DDG-40), USS Bainbridge (CGN-25), Naval Base, Seattle, Washington, Cruiser-Destroyer Group One, Battle Group Romeo, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, United States Atlantic Fleet |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit |
| Other work | Vice President for Ship Systems at SYNTEK Technologies, Inc., President and COO, and Vice Chairman of Metro Machine Corp, Secretary of the Navy's Advisory Subcommittee on Naval History |
Joseph Paul Reason is a retired United States Navy officer. He was born on March 22, 1941, in Washington, D.C.. From 1996 to 1999, he was the Commander in Chief of the United States Atlantic Fleet. In 1996, Admiral Reason made history. He became the first African-American officer to reach the rank of four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy. Earlier in his career, he also served as a special naval assistant to President Jimmy Carter.
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Early Life and Education
Joseph Reason grew up in Washington, D.C.. His father, Joseph Reason, was a professor and library director at Howard University. His mother, Bernice, taught biology in high school. He lived in a diverse neighborhood and was part of an integrated Boy Scout troop.
High School and College Years
Reason attended McKinley Technology High School. Every summer, he went to a camp in New Hampshire. During his senior year, he wanted to join the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. However, he was not chosen at that time.
He then went to several colleges. He studied at Swarthmore College, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), and Howard University. While at Howard, a Congressman named Charles Diggs, Jr. encouraged him to apply to the United States Naval Academy.
Reason was accepted into the Naval Academy in 1961. He became a midshipman and graduated in 1965. He earned a degree in naval science. On June 9, 1965, he became an ensign, which is a junior officer rank. A few days later, he married Dianne Lillian Fowler. They have a son and a daughter.
After graduating, Reason began his long career in the Navy. He served on several ships and held important positions.
Early Ship Assignments
From 1965 to 1966, Reason trained in nuclear power. He then served on the USS Truxtun. This ship went to Southeast Asia in 1968 during the Vietnam War. After this, he studied at the Naval Postgraduate School. He earned a master's degree in computer systems management.
In 1970, he joined the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He served on this ship for two years. During this time, the Enterprise deployed to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
Important Roles and Commands
Reason returned to the USS Truxtun in 1974. He was the combat systems officer. In 1976, he moved to Washington, D.C. He worked for the Navy's personnel office.
Later in 1976, he was chosen for a very special job. He became the Naval Aide to President Jimmy Carter at the White House. He served in this role until 1979.
After his time at the White House, Reason became the executive officer of the USS Mississippi. In 1981, he took command of his first ship, the USS Coontz. He later commanded the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Bainbridge until 1986. During this time, he was promoted to captain.
Rising Through the Ranks
In 1986, Joseph Reason was promoted to rear admiral (lower half). He became the commander of the Naval Base in Seattle, Washington. He was in charge of all Navy activities in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
He returned to sea duty in 1988. He commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1. He also commanded Battle Group Romeo. This group operated in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. In 1991, he became a Vice Admiral. He then commanded Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
Four-Star Admiral
In November 1996, Reason reached the highest rank. He was promoted to four-star admiral. He was assigned as the Commander in Chief of the United States Atlantic Fleet. He held this important position until he retired from active duty in 1999.
After His Military Career
After retiring from the Navy, Admiral Reason continued to work in important roles.
Business and Advisory Roles
From 1999 to 2000, he was a vice president at SYNTEK Technologies, Inc. This company works with ship systems. From 2000 to 2006, he was the president and chief operating officer of Metro Machine Corp. This company repairs ships.
He also served on the boards of several large companies. These included Amgen, Inc., Norfolk Southern Corporation, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. In 2008, he was appointed to an advisory group for the Secretary of the Navy's Advisory Subcommittee on Naval History.
Helping the Environment
In 2019, Admiral Reason made a generous donation. He gave his 42-foot fishing boat, the Sea Dog, to the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. This group uses the boat to test the water quality of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C..
Published Works
- Sailing new seas by J. Paul Reason with David G. Freymann. This book was published in 1998.
Awards and Medals
Admiral Reason received many awards for his service.
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit (three awards)
- Navy Commendation Medal (three awards)
- Navy Unit Commendation Medal (awarded to USS Enterprise)
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (awarded to USS Mississippi)
- Navy "E" Ribbon (four awards)
- National Defense Service Medal (three awards)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal (with eight campaign stars)
- Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (four awards)
Foreign Awards
- Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Ribbon
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- The Venezuelan Navy's La Medalla Naval Almirante Luis Brión
See also
