Nora W. Tyson

Nora Wingfield Tyson, USN is an American naval officer. A Vice Admiral, she served as Vice Director of the Joint Staff since February 2012. She has recently been promoted to Vice Admiral and named as Deputy Commander, US Fleet Forces Command.

Prior to that, Tyson served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two (CCSG2) from July 29, 2010 to January 12, 2012. Tyson was the first female commander of a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group.

Education
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Nora Wingfield Tyson attended St. Mary's Episcopal School, graduating in 1975. Tyson graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1979, majoring in English. Later that year, she attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in December 1979. In 1995, Tyson earned her Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Affairs from the U.S. Naval War College.

Naval career
After a tour in Washington D.C, Tyson became a Naval Flight Officer in 1983. She then served three tours in Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Four (VQ-4) in both Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Tinker Air Force Base, one of which as a commanding officer. Ashore, she served as airborne communications officer course instructor and officer-in-charge at Naval Air Maintenance Training Detachment 1079, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

Other shore duty assignments included serving as a political-military planner and assistant in the Asia-Pacific Division of the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of Staff for the Commander of Naval Forces Europe, and an executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations.

Sea duty for Tyson included serving as a navigator aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and the operations officer on the training aircraft carrier USS Lexington (AVT-16). Later, Captain Tyson commanded the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) during a time when the ship provided support for Hurricane Katrina relief, as well as undertaking two deployments to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In September 2007, Tyson was promoted to rear admiral (Lower Half) and took command of Task Force 73 in Singapore.

On July 29, 2010, Tyson assumed command of Carrier Strike Group Two, with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) as its flagship, becoming the first woman to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier task group. During the ceremony, she stated, "As far as the trailblazing piece, I understand I am the first woman on the job...but I'm a professional just like my fellow officers are, and my fellow strike group commanders."

Carrier Strike Group Two completed its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) and Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) predeployment underway training cycle and subsequently departed Norfolk Naval Base on its 2011 overseas deployment under the command of Admiral Tyson on 11 May 2011. The carrier strike group will be operating with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A).

In an August 1, 2011 ceremony on the George Bush, Tyson was promoted to two-star rear admiral (Rear Admiral Upper Half). Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush administered the oath of office to Tyson via videolink from Kennebunkport, Maine.

Personal
Tyson resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, with her husband Wayne and enjoys playing golf.