Brian Fort

{{Infobox military person

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|name = Brian P. Fort

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|image = Brian P. Fort (5).jpg

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|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1966}}

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|allegiance = United States

|branch = United States Navy

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|serviceyears = 1990{{ndash}}2021

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|rank = Rear Admiral (lower half)

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|commands = United States Naval Forces Japan
Navy Region Japan
Navy Region Hawaii
Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific
Navy Nuclear Power Training Unit, Ballston Spa
Destroyer Squadron 26
{{USS|Gonzalez|DDG-66}}

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|awards = Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (4)
Order of the Rising Sun

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|alma_mater = University of Arkansas (BS)
Naval War College (MNSS)
Joint Forces Staff College

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Brian Patrick Fort (born 1966){{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DD8BVZeVFP4C&pg=PA186 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty |date=October 1, 1990 |page=186 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=June 14, 2021}} is a retired United States Navy rear admiral and surface warfare officer who last served as the 35th commander of the United States Naval Forces Japan and commander of Navy Region Japan from July 10, 2019 to July 14, 2021. As CNFJ/CNRJ, Fort was responsible for providing shore readiness to U.S. naval forces in Japan and maritime support to the American forward presence in Japan as well as cooperation with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to promote regional stability and deter aggression. He previously served as commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific from August 2017 to June 2019, with tours as commodore of Destroyer Squadron 26 from June 2013 to June 2015 and commanding officer of {{USS|Gonzalez|DDG-66}} from February 2008 to August 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/330718/naval-forces-japan-navy-region-japan-holds-change-command|title=Naval Forces Japan, Navy Region Japan Holds Change of Command|website=DVIDS}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cpf.navy.mil/news.aspx/110768|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615033318/https://www.cpf.navy.mil/news.aspx/110768|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2019|title=Command changes for Navy Region Hawaii, Surface Group Middle Pacific|first1=Anna Marie G.|last1=General|first2=Navy Region|last2=Hawaii|website=www.cpf.navy.mil}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/commodores-final-words-brian-fort|title=A Commodore's Final Words...|website=www.linkedin.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/37434/uss-gonzalez-holds-change-command|title=USS Gonzalez holds Change of Command|website=DVIDS}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/news/destroyer-gonzalez-welcomes-new-co/article_f5e11b64-a33a-5672-8b7d-66dacb599057.html|title=Destroyer Gonzalez welcomes new CO|website=Military News|date=February 27, 2008 }}

In March 2021, Carl Lahti, former commandant of Naval District Washington was assigned to succeed Fort as commander of United States Naval Forces Japan and Navy Region Japan. The change of command ceremony took place on July 14, 2021, with Fort retiring from active duty after 32 years of distinguished service.{{cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2553972/flag-officer-assignments/|title=Flag Officer Assignments|access-date=2021-06-11|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/400838/naval-forces-japan-navy-region-japan-holds-change-command|title=Naval Forces Japan, Navy Region Japan Holds Change of Command|date=2021-07-14|website=DVIDS}}

Early life and education

File:US Navy 090814-N-2645L-065 Cmdr. Brian Fort, commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), presents Dolia Gonzalez with a painting of her son, Marine Corps Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez.jpg.]]

Raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Fort received his commission via Officer Candidate School in 1990. He earned a master's degree from the Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies and is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.{{Cite web|url=https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2236372/rear-admiral-brian-fort/|title=Rear Admiral Brian Fort|website=www.navy.mil}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Regions/cnrj/about/biographies/Commander_CNFJ_CNRJ/|title=Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Commander, Navy Region Japan|access-date=2021-06-26|website=Commander, Navy Installations Command}}

USS ''Fitzgerald'' collision investigation

Fort was selected to lead the U.S. Navy's investigation into the collision of the {{USS|Fitzgerald|DDG-62}} with a civilian merchant ship in June 2017. The sudden assignment resulted in the cancellation of the planned Navy Region Hawaii change of command ceremony with John V. Fuller, who assumed command forgoing the ceremony.{{Cite web|url=https://news.usni.org/2017/06/23/former-destroyer-commander-to-lead-uss-fitzgerald-collision-investigation|title=Navy Names Former Destroyer Commander to Lead USS Fitzgerald Collision Investigation|date=June 23, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/1275020/rear-adm-fort-becomes-commander-navy-region-hawaii-and-naval-surface-group-midd/|title=Rear Adm. Fort becomes Commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific|website=U.S. Indo-Pacific Command}}

Awards and decorations

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|colspan="3"|200px

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px22px

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px22px22px

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award (USMC and USN frame).svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 4th award.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991–2016).svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}}18px18px18px18px

{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}

|106px

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=NATO Medal ribbon (Non-Article 5).svg|width=106}}

|106px

|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|width=106}}

colspan="3"|55px

colspan="3"|120px

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colspan="6"|Surface Warfare Officer Pin

colspan="2"|Navy Distinguished Service Medal{{cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6731760/naval-forces-japan-navy-region-japan-holds-change-command|title=Naval Forces Japan, Navy Region Japan Holds Change of Command [Image 13 of 13]|access-date=2021-10-18|website=DVIDS}}

|colspan="2"|Legion of Merit with three award stars

|colspan="2"|Defense Meritorious Service Medal

colspan="2"|Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars

|colspan="2"|Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars

|colspan="2"|Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

colspan="2"|Joint Meritorious Unit Award

|colspan="2"|Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star

|colspan="2"|Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze service star

colspan="2"|Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation

|colspan="2"|Navy "E" Ribbon, 4th award

|colspan="2"|National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star

colspan="2"|Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

|colspan="2"|Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star

|colspan="2"|Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

colspan="2"|Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

|colspan="2"|Armed Forces Service Medal

|colspan="2"|Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four bronze service stars

colspan="2"|Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star

|colspan="2"|Special Operations Service Ribbon

|colspan="2"|NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia

colspan="2"|NATO Medal Ribbon (non-Article 5 version)

|colspan="2"|Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class{{cite tweet|author=Japan Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces|user=ModJapan_en|number=1410537184277368835|title=On July 1, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Matsukawa bestowed the order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Japan, for his great contribution to the defense of Japan.|date=2021-07-01}}

|colspan="2"|Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

colspan="6"|Command at Sea insignia

colspan="6"|Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge