Bruce E. MacDonald

Bruce Edward MacDonald (born 1955) is a retired United States Navy vice admiral who last served as the 40th Judge Advocate General of the Navy from July 2006 to August 2009. Prior to that, MacDonald served as Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy from November 2004 to July 2006.

On July 2, 2008, then Rear Admiral MacDonald was nominated for appointment to the grade of vice admiral while serving as the Navy's Judge Advocate General. He was confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2008 and was promoted to grade on August 4, 2008 becoming the first JAG to be a three-star flag officer.

Naval career

Vice Admiral MacDonald graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and entered the Navy in May of that year.

VADM MacDonald was commissioned an ensign in the unrestricted line through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. Following the normal Surface Warfare pipeline, he reported to the USS Hepburn (FF 1055) in October 1979 where he served as Main Propulsion Assistant and Navigator.

After a two-year tour at Fleet Combat Training Center, Pacific where he served as Intermediate Combat Systems Team Training and Advanced Multi-Threat Team Training course director, he was selected for the Law Education Program in 1984. He received his degree of Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 1987. On March 24, 2010, Newsweek reported that MacDonald had helped draft the Military Commissions Act of 2009.

Carol Rosenberg, of the Miami Herald, reports that MacDonald had testified before the United States Congress on numerous occasions, defending the Guantanamo Military Commission system. Defense attorneys had argued that MacDonald had improperly approved death sentences prior to their clients being provided with informed legal advice. According to Jane Sutton, reporting from Guantanamo, MacDonald and Commander Walter Ruiz had a "shouting match".

Sutton reported that MacDonald's term as convening authority was scheduled to end in March 2013.

Awards and decorations