James G. Stavridis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James G. Stavridis
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Stavridis in July 2009
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| Nickname(s) | Zorba |
| Born | February 15, 1955 West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1976–2013 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held | Supreme Allied Commander Europe United States European Command United States Southern Command Enterprise Carrier Strike Group USS Barry |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War First Libyan Civil War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) |
| Alma mater | United States Naval Academy (BS) Tufts University (PhD) |
James George Stavridis (born February 15, 1955) is a retired United States Navy admiral. He is currently a leader at The Carlyle Group, a global investment company, and chairs the board of trustees for the Rockefeller Foundation. Admiral Stavridis also works as a senior military expert for CNN. He is also the former chair of the board of directors for the United States Naval Institute.
Stavridis graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1976. During his time in the Navy, he commanded the United States Southern Command from 2006 to 2009. He also led the United States European Command and was the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 2009 to 2013. He was the first Navy officer to hold these important positions. Stavridis earned his PhD and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 1984.
Harvard University created a special study about Admiral Stavridis's leadership. It was called "Hearts and Minds: Admiral Jim Stavridis on the Art of Wrangling NATO".
Stavridis retired from the Navy in 2013 after 37 years of service. After retiring, he became the dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. This school is a graduate program for international affairs. He left this role in August 2018.
In 2016, Stavridis was considered as a possible running mate for Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign. Later that year, he was also considered by President-elect Donald Trump for a possible role as Secretary of State.
Stavridis is also a very successful author. His book The Accidental Admiral, which talks about his time in the Navy, was published in October 2014. The Leader's Bookshelf, published in 2017, shares the top 50 books that he believes inspire good leadership. Another book from 2017, Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans, became a bestseller. His book Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character was published in October 2019. His novel 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, which he wrote with Elliot Ackerman, was released in March 2021 and also became a bestseller. His book "The Sailor's Bookshelf: Fifty Books to Know the Sea" was published in November 2021. "To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision" came out in May 2022. A follow-up to 2034, called 2054: A Novel, was published in March 2024. His books have been translated into 20 different languages.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Stavridis was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. His parents were Shirley Anne (Schaffer) and Paul George Stavridis. His father was a United States Marine Corps colonel who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Stavridis finished high school at McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona, in 1972. He is married to Laura Hall, who wrote the book Navy Spouses Guide.
His grandparents on his father's side were Anatolian Greeks. They were born and grew up in Western Anatolia (part of modern-day Turkey) and later moved to the United States. His mother's family came from Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.
In his 2008 book, Destroyer Captain: Lessons of a First Command, Stavridis shared a story about his grandfather:
In the early 1920s, my grandfather, a short, stocky Greek schoolteacher named Dimitrios Stavridis, was expelled from Turkey as part of 'ethnic cleansing' (read pogrom) directed against Greeks living in the remains of the Ottoman Empire. He barely escaped with his life in a small boat crossing the Aegean Sea to Athens and thence to Ellis Island. His brother was not so lucky and was killed by the Turks as part of the violence directed at the Greek minority.
Stavridis found it very interesting that a NATO military exercise later took place off the coast of modern Turkey. He wrote that it was an "amazing historical irony" that his grandson, who barely spoke Greek, returned in command of a large warship to the same city, Smyrna (now called İzmir), from which his grandfather had fled as a refugee many years before.
Stavridis graduated with honors from the United States Naval Academy in 1976. He became a surface warfare officer, meaning he served on ships. He worked on aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers. He was an Operations Officer on the USS Valley Forge and an Executive Officer on USS Antietam CG-54.
From 1993 to 1995, Stavridis commanded the destroyer USS Barry. During this time, the ship was sent to Haiti, Bosnia, and the Persian Gulf. Under his command, the Barry won the Battenberg Cup, which is given to the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet. In 1998, he commanded Destroyer Squadron 21 and went to the Persian Gulf, earning an award for his leadership.
From 2002 to 2004, Stavridis led the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group. This group carried out military operations in the Persian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Later, as a vice admiral, he worked as a senior military assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense.
On October 19, 2006, he became the first Navy officer to lead the United States Southern Command in Miami, Florida. In July 2009, he became the 16th Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) for NATO. He retired from this role in 2013.
When he was not at sea, Stavridis worked as a planner for the Chief of Naval Operations and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At the start of the "Global War on Terror", he was chosen to direct the Navy Operations Group, Deep Blue. He also served as an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the senior military assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense. He was promoted quickly from a 1-star rank to a 3-star rank in 2004.
Stavridis has often talked about using "smart power". This means balancing strong military action ("hard power") with diplomacy and cultural influence ("soft power"). He believes that to create security in the 21st century, countries need to build bridges, not walls. He emphasizes connecting different international groups, government agencies, and private organizations to build security. He shared these ideas in his book "Partnership for the Americas", which was based on his time leading the U.S. Southern Command. He also gave a popular TED Global talk in 2012 about global security.
In 2011, an investigation began into some of Stavridis's travel expenses. However, on September 11, 2012, the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, cleared him of any wrongdoing. Secretary Mabus stated that Admiral Stavridis "never attempted to use his public office for private gain nor did he commit personal misconduct." He added that Stavridis was a "model naval officer and a devoted public servant."
Stavridis earned his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy in 1983 and his PhD in International Relations in 1984 from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He also graduated with honors from the United States National War College in 1992.
Leading the Fletcher School
Stavridis was chosen to be the dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University starting July 1, 2013.
As dean, Stavridis started new plans for the school. He invited many important speakers to the campus. He also focused on topics like the Arctic region, the role of women in international relations, and how new technologies like synthetic biology and online media affect global affairs.
Media Appearances and Public Speaking
Since leaving the Navy, Stavridis has often appeared on TV news channels. He shares his thoughts on national security and foreign policy. He has been on CNN, Fox News, BBC, and Bloomberg. He was also a main expert for NBC News and MSNBC on international security. He writes columns for Bloomberg Opinion and is a senior military expert for CNN. He has written many articles for publications like Time and Foreign Policy. You can find many of his media appearances and writings on his personal website.
Tufts University even built a special TV studio at The Fletcher School. This made it easy for Stavridis and other professors to appear on international news. In August 2016, NBC News named Stavridis their "chief international security and diplomacy analyst." He also started writing a monthly column for Time.com.
Stavridis is also a popular public speaker. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and the Munich Security Conference. He has given lectures at many universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown. He has also given the important "Forrestal Lecture" at the U.S. Naval Academy four times.
In July 2022, he was a writer-in-residence at Hemingway House in Idaho. He was also a featured speaker at the Sun Valley Writer's Conference in 2021 and 2022. In 2024, Stavridis gave the main speech at the Virginia Military Institute's convocation.
Other Public Activities
In November 2022, the Kremlin placed sanctions on Stavridis and 200 other Americans. This was because they supported Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
In January 2025, when there were renewed discussions about the United States buying Greenland, Stavridis supported the idea. He commented that Greenland is "a strategic goldmine for the United States."
Board and Organization Roles
Stavridis is a member of the board for several companies and charity groups. In May 2021, he became the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Rockefeller Foundation. He had been a member of this board since 2017. He also serves on the boards of Ankura, Aon, and Fortinet. Stavridis is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Speeches and Special Honors
Stavridis has given many commencement and graduation speeches at universities across the country. These include the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 2008, the University of Miami in 2011, and The Citadel in 2022. He received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Tufts University in 2022.
Consideration for Political Roles
On July 12, 2016, news organizations reported that Stavridis was being considered by the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. He was a possible vice presidential running mate on the Democratic ticket. The Washington Post made a video about his qualifications. Publications like the Navy Times highlighted his leadership at NATO as a positive point. An article in Politico called him "Hillary's Anti-Trump." Stavridis joked in that article, "My name is too long for a bumper sticker." In the end, Clinton chose Tim Kaine.
On December 8, 2016, Stavridis met with President-elect Donald Trump in New York City. After the meeting, Stavridis told reporters they talked about world events and cybersecurity. News reports suggested he was being considered for Secretary of State or Director of National Intelligence. However, on December 14, 2016, Stavridis stated in an interview that he would not be taking a position in the Trump administration.
Awards and Decorations
U.S. Military Awards
Stavridis has received many awards and decorations from the United States military.
Surface Warfare Officer qualification
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Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
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Defense Superior Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit with four gold award stars |
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Meritorious Service Medal with two gold award stars |
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Joint Service Commendation Medal |
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Navy Commendation Medal with three gold award stars |
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Navy Achievement Medal |
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Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster |
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Navy Unit Commendation |
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Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with 2 bronze service stars |
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Navy "E" Ribbon w/ Wreathed Battle E device |
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Navy Expeditionary Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one bronze service stars |
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Southwest Asia Service Medal with one bronze service star |
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Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
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Armed Forces Service Medal with two bronze service stars |
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Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one silver and two bronze service stars |
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Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star |
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Navy Expert Rifleman Medal |
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Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal |
International Awards
Stavridis has also received many awards from other countries.
 Commander's degree, National Order of the Legion of Honour of France |
 Grand Cross Order of the Crown (Belgium) |
 Grand Cross Order of the Phoenix (Greece) |
 Estonian Order of the Cross of the Eagle First Class |
 Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Knight Grand Cross of the Republic |
 Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Knight Commander's Cross with Star |
 Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg |
_2class_BAR.svg){kind=small} The Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary |
 Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit (Poland) |
 Order of Duke Trpimir (Croatia) |
 Cross of Commander of the Order for Merits to Lithuania |
 Investiture Medal of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
_-_ribbon_bar.png){kind=small} Order of Naval Merit (Argentina) |
_-_ribbon_bar.png){kind=small} Order of Naval Merit in the degree of Grand Officer (Brazil) |
 Cruz de la Victoria (Chile) |
 Order of Naval Merit Admiral Padilla (Colombia) |
 Order of the Peruvian Cross of Naval Merit in the rank of Grand Cross along with a White Ribbon (Peru) |
 The Emblem of Honor of the General Staff of Romania |
 Medal of Honorary Recognition of Latvia |
 Military Merit Grand Cross Medal of the Portuguese Republic |
 Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali – I Rank (Georgia) |
.gif){kind=small} Albanian Medal of Gratitude |
.png){kind=small} Slovenian Medal for multinational cooperation 1st grade |
 Navy National Defense Cross (Guatemala) |
 Grand Cross (Dominican Republic) |
 NATO Meritorious Service Medal |
 NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia |
_ribbon.svg){kind=small} Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
_ribbon.svg){kind=small} Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
Other Honors and Recognitions
Stavridis has received many other awards and honors, including:
- Author of the Year for the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings (1995).
- The Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award (2003).
- The Naval Institute Press Author of the Year (2010).
- The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum's Intrepid Freedom Award (2011).
- The AFCEA's David Sarnoff Award for contributions to global peace (2011).
- The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Order of St. Andrew the Apostle's Athenagoras Human Rights Award (2011).
- The Navy League of the United States's Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement (2011).
- The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award (2011).
- The Atlantic Council's Distinguished Military Leadership Award (2011).
- The Business Executives for National Security's Eisenhower Award (2012).
- The first recipient of the Distinguished Ally of the Israel Defense Forces Award (2013).
- Stimson Center Pragmatist + Idealist Award (2013).
- The Alpha Omega Council's Lifetime Achievement Award (2015).
- The Naval Order of the United States's Distinguished Sea Service Award (2015).
- The Truce Foundation of the USA's "Building Bridges Award" (2016).
- The Washington Institute 2016 Scholar-Statesman Award.
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient (2017).
- The American Veterans Center 2017 Andrew Goodpaster Prize.
- Society for International Development Award for Leadership in Development (2017).
- Leadership 100 Conference "Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence" (2018).
- Theodore Roosevelt Association "Medal of Honor Awardee" (2019).
- International Churchill Society "Winston S. Churchill Leadership Award" (2019).
- Grand Cross of Colombia (2022).
- Selected as a 2023 United States Naval Academy Distinguished Graduate.
- Mystic Seaport Museum "America and the Sea Award" (2023).
- National Committee on American Foreign Policy Hans Morganthau Award (2023).
- Selected as a Winston Churchill Fellow by the International Churchill Society (2024).
- The Naval War College Foundation’s 2024 Sentinel of the Sea Award.
- Florida Veterans' Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductee (2025).
Selected Books by James Stavridis
- The Admiral's Bookshelf, U.S. Naval Institute Press, March 2025, ISBN: 978-1-68247-254-5
- The Restless Wave, Penguin Press, Oct 2025, ISBN: 978-0-593-49407-3
- 2054: A Novel (with Elliot Ackerman) Penguin Press, 2024, ISBN: 978-0-593-48986-4
- To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision, Penguin Press, 2022, ISBN: 978-0593297742
- The Sailor's Bookshelf: Fifty Books to Know the Sea, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-68247-698-7
- With Elliot Ackerman 2034: A Novel of the Next World War. Penguin Press, 2021. ISBN: 1984881256
- Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character, Penguin Press, October 15, 2019, ISBN: 978-0525559931
- Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans, Penguin Press, June 6, 2017, ISBN: 978-0-7352-2059-1
- The Leader's Bookshelf, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2017, ISBN: 978-1-68247-179-1
- The Accidental Admiral: A Sailor Takes Command at NATO, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2014 ISBN: 978-1-61251-704-9
- Partnership for the Americas: Western Hemisphere Strategy and U.S. Southern Command, NDU Press, November 2010 ISBN: 978-0-16-087042-2
- Command At Sea, sixth edition, Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute Press, coauthored with Rear Admiral Robert Girrier, USN, 2010 ISBN: 9781591147985
- Destroyer Captain: Lessons of a First Command, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2007 ISBN: 9781591148494
- Watch Officer's Guide, Twelfth Edition, Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute Press, Co-authored with Captain Robert Girrier, 2006 ISBN: 9781591149361
- Division Officer's Guide, Eleventh Edition, Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute Press, Co-authored with Commander Robert Girrier, 2005 ISBN: 9781591147992
See also
In Spanish: James G. Stavridis para niños
