William E. Gortney

William Evans "Bill" Gortney (born September 25, 1953) is a United States Navy admiral who currently serves as the 32nd Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He previously served as the Director of the Joint Staff from July 1, 2010 to August 2012. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet. He assumed his current assignment on September 14, 2012.

Early life and education
Gortney was born on August 25, 1953, and graduated from Elon College (now Elon University) in North Carolina, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science in 1977. He was an officer of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a member of the varsity soccer team and the rugby club. The son of a retired U.S. Navy Captain and a second generation Naval Aviator, Gortney entered the U.S. Navy as an aviation officer candidate at Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS, Class 12-77 [The Gamesmen]), NAS Pensacola, Florida.

Career
Gortney received his commission in the United States Naval Reserve in September 1977 and earned his wings of gold and designation as a Naval Aviator following graduation from the jet strike pilot training pipeline in December 1978. Shore assignments include VT-26, NAS Beeville, Texas, 1978–1980; VFA-125, NAS Lemoore, California., 1984–1988, and aide and flag lieutenant to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare), Washington, 1990–1991. He is a 1996 graduate of the Naval War College, earning a Master of Arts in International Security Affairs. Additional command tours include Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15), 1994–1995, on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), and VFA-106, the East Coast F/A-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron, NAS Cecil Field, Fla., 1996–1997. Fleet assignments include Attack Squadron 82 (VA-82), 1981–1984, on board USS Nimitz (CVN-68); VFA-87, 1988–1990, on board USS Theodore Roosevelt; executive officer, VFA-132, 1991–1992, on board USS Forrestal (CV-59) and executive officer, VFA-15, 1992–1994, on board USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Flag assignments
Gortney's first flag tour was as the deputy chief of staff for Global Force Management and Joint Operations, Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, 2004–2006. This was followed by assignment as Commander, Carrier Strike Group 10, during which time he was promoted to Rear Admiral (upper half). Selected for promotion Vice Admiral, he was then assigned as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet / Combined Maritime Forces. This was Gortney’s third command tour in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of operations, supporting Maritime Security Operations and combat operations for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). His previous command assignments in the USCENTCOM area of operations include Command of Carrier Air Wing 7 while he was still a Captain, embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), in direct support of OEF in 2002. His second was as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Ten, on board USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), in support of Maritime Security Operations and OIF from 2007–2008.

Gortney’s experience in the U.S. Central Command area of operations includes serving on the Joint Staff, J-33 Joint Operations Department CENTCOM Division (JODCENT) from 1998–1999, and tours supporting the violent peace of Operation Southern Watch from 2000–2001 as deputy for Current Operations, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA), and deploying as deputy commander, Carrier Air Wing 7, on board USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). He also served as chief, Naval and Amphibious Liaison Element (NALE) to the Combined Forces Air Component Commander, U.S. Central Command, for the opening months of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, followed as chief of staff for Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet from 2003–2004.

Gortney has flown over 5,360 flight hours and 1,265 carrier-arrested landings, primarily in the A-7E Corsair II and the F/A-18 Hornet.