CAPT Charles Richard
Captain Charles “Chas” Richard currently serves as Chief of Staff to Commander, Submarine Forces and Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. As Chief of Staff, he is responsible to the Commander for all U.S. submarines home ported on the Atlantic Coast, as well as supporting shore activities.
His operational assignments include command of USS Parche (SSN 683) as well as Submarine NR-1, then the U.S. Navy’s only nuclear powered, deep submergence submarine. He also served in USS Portsmouth (SSN 707), USS Asheville (SSN 758), and USS Scranton (SSN 756).
Capt Richard’s recent staff assignments include command of Submarine Squadron Seventeen in Bangor, WA, as well as service as the Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to the Under Secretary of the Navy. Other staff assignments include Director of Resources on the staff of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Squadron Engineer on the staff of Submarine Squadron Eight, and duty on the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Submarine Warfare) staff (OP 213).
A native of Decatur, Alabama, Richard graduated from the University of Alabama in 1982, and has earned Master’s degrees from the Catholic University of America, and the Naval War College. He also served as a member of CNO Strategic Studies Group XXVIII, studying the integration of Unmanned Systems into Naval Force Structure. He has been privileged to serve on commands that have been awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Battle Efficiency “E” awards.