Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette

Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command

Rear Admiral Gaouette grew up in San Diego, California, graduating from the University of California, Davis in 1981. He entered the Navy under the Submarine Strategic Weapons program and was commissioned at Officer Candidate School in April 1982. He is a qualified submarine officer and served as Communicator in USS Gudgeon (SS 567) and Combat Systems Officer in USS Lapon (SSN 661).

Rear Adm. Gaouette transferred to Surface Warfare in 1987. He served as Navigator and Damage Control Assistant in USS Arthur W. Radford (DD 968), Combat Systems Officer in USS Fletcher (DD 992), commissioning Combat Systems Officer in USS Port Royal (CG 73) and Executive Officer in USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60).

Rear Adm. Gaouette commanded USS Oldendorf (DD 972) from 2001 through 2003. Following Oldendorf’s decommissioning, he and his crew became the third rotational deployers in USS Fletcher (DD 992) as part of the Navy’s Sea Swap initiative. In Fletcher, he served as Maritime Interdiction Coordinator in the North Arabian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rear Adm. Gaouette also commanded USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), serving as Sea Combat Commander for the Eisenhower Strike Group during the ship’s 2006 Middle East deployment as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2006, Bunker Hill received the Spokane Trophy for Combat Systems excellence in the Pacific Fleet. Both Oldendorf and Bunker Hill were awarded the Battle Efficiency ‘E’ for two consecutive years under his command.

Ashore, Rear Adm. Gaouette served as East Team Chief and Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations and Logistics (J3/J4), United States Transportation Command. He additionally held several positions on the Navy Staff: Branch Head of Future Ships (N763), Assistant Deputy of Surface Ships (N76E1), Assistant Deputy for Combat Systems (N86F1), Executive Assistant to Director, Warfare Integration (N8F), and Executive Assistant to Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources (N8).

Rear Admiral Gaouette is a graduate of the Air War College, where he earned a concurrent Master’s degree in Public Administration from Auburn University. In 2003, he was awarded the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for inspirational leadership in recognition of the hard work by the crew of USS Oldendorf. He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal the Joint Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various unit awards.