Craig S. Faller
{{short description|United States Navy admiral|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = Admiral
|name= Craig S. Faller
|image= Faller_Southcom_2.jpg
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption= Admiral Craig S. Faller in 2018
|nickname= Dadmiral
|birth_date= {{birth year and age|1961}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.thederrick.com/news/front_page/duty-calls/article_9553d2eb-306a-5a25-bd66-47336c86c639.html|title=Duty calls|first=Natasha BrennemanStaff|last=Writer|website=TheDerrick.com|date=4 May 2017 }}
|birth_place= Fryburg, Pennsylvania
|death_date=
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United States
|branch= United States Navy
|serviceyears= 1983–2021
|rank= Admiral{{cite web |url=https://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/bio.asp?bioID=527|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920213038/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/bio.asp?bioID=527|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 20, 2012|title=U.S. Navy Biographies – ADMIRAL CRAIG S. FALLER|website=www.navy.mil}}
|servicenumber=
|unit=
|commands= United States Southern Command
Carrier Strike Group 3
{{USS|Shiloh|CG 67}}
{{USS|Stethem|DDG 63}}
|battles= Gulf War
|awards= {{nowrap|Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)}}
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit (5)
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
Craig Stephen Faller (born 1961){{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DD8BVZeVFP4C&pg=PA85 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty |date=October 1, 1990 |page=85 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=2021-06-05}} is a retired United States Navy admiral. A 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a native of Fryburg, Pennsylvania, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering. He earned his master's in national security affairs (strategic planning) from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1990.
Faller assumed duty as senior military assistant to the secretary of defense in January 2017. In that position, he served as the principal military advisor and assistant to the secretary of defense. On November 26, 2018, he succeeded Admiral Kurt W. Tidd as commander of United States Southern Command.
Naval career
At sea, Faller served as reactor electrical division officer, electrical officer, and reactor training assistant aboard {{USS|South Carolina|CGN-37}}; operations officer aboard {{USS|Peterson|DD-969}}; station officer aboard {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65}}, and executive officer of {{USS|John Hancock|DD-981}}. As commanding officer of {{USS|Stethem}}, he deployed to the Persian Gulf and participated in maritime interception operations in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. During his tour as commanding officer of {{USS|Shiloh|CG-67}}, he assisted victims of the devastating tsunami off Indonesia. Finally, as commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, he deployed to the Middle East, supporting Operations New Dawn (Iraq) and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).
Ashore, Faller was assigned to chief of legislative affairs for the Secretary of the Navy; served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy and Operations); served as a legislative fellow on the staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Ashore also served as head of Surface Nuclear Officer Programs and Placement at Navy Personnel Command and served as executive assistant to the Chief of naval operations. Finally, he served as commander, Navy Recruiting Command; as executive assistant to the commander, United States Pacific Command and commander, United States Central Command; and as Director of Operations, United States Central Command.
He retired from active duty on October 29, 2021, relinquishing command of SOUTHCOM to General Laura J. Richardson.{{cite web |url=https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/03/17/senators-show-support-for-increasing-us-southern-command-intelligence-assets/|title=Senators show support for increasing US Southern Command intelligence assets|last=Mehta|first=Aaron|date=2021-03-17|access-date=2021-09-29|website=Defense News}}{{cite web |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/27380|title=Webcast: Promotion Ceremony in Honor of LTG Laura Richardson|access-date=2021-10-15|website=DVIDS}}{{cite web |url=https://www.southcom.mil/News/PressReleases/Article/2811605/southcom-to-host-change-of-command-ceremony-oct-29/|title=SOUTHCOM to host change-of-command ceremony Oct. 29|date=2021-10-15|website=U.S. Southern Command}}
Awards and decorations
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="3"|200px |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px22px22px
|{{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 ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px22px |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award (USMC and USN frame).svg|width=106}}22px22px22px |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}18px18px18px |
| 106px
|{{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|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| 106px |
| 106px |
| colspan="3"|55px |
| colspan="3"|78px |
- Admiral Faller also received the Navy Recruiter Badge with gold wreath.
106px
References
{{commons category}}
{{USNAVY|article=Admiral Craig S. Faller|url=https://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=527}}
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Joseph P. Aucoin}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of Carrier Strike Group 3|years=2011–2012}}
{{s-aft|after=Charles M. Gaouette}}
{{s-bef|before=???}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of Operations of the United States Central Command|years=201?–2014}}
{{s-aft|after=Kenneth S. Wilsbach}}
{{s-bef|before=???}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chief of Legislative Affairs of the United States Navy|years=2014–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=James T. Loeblein}}
{{s-bef|before=Eric M. Smith}}
{{s-ttl|title=Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense|years=2017–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=George W. Smith Jr.}}
{{s-bef|before=Kurt W. Tidd}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of United States Southern Command|years=2018–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Laura J. Richardson}}
{{s-end}}
{{SouthComHeads}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Faller, Craig S.}}
Category:People from Clarion County, Pennsylvania
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:United States Navy admirals
Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal