James Oren Ellis, Jr.

Admiral James Oren Ellis Jr. (born July 20, 1947) is a retired 4-star admiral and former commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He was president and chief executive officer of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations until May 2012. He joined the board of directors of Lockheed Martin in 2004, and served until 2024.

Since retiring from the military, Ellis has been the Annenberg distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

In 2013, Ellis was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for leadership in advancing safe nuclear power plant operations throughout the world.

Early life

Ellis, born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is a 1969 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1971 and held a variety of sea and shore assignments from 1972.

Naval career

Ellis's sea duty billets as a navy fighter pilot included tours with Fighter Squadron 92 aboard and Fighter Squadron 1 aboard . Ellis was the first Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 131, deploying in 1985 with new F/A-18 Hornets aboard . He served as Executive Officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and as Commanding Officer of , the Persian Gulf flagship of the Commander, Joint Task Force, Middle East. In 1991 he assumed command of and participated in Operation Desert Storm while deployed during her maiden voyage in the western Pacific and Persian Gulf. In June 1995, Ellis assumed command of Carrier Group Five/Battle Force Seventh Fleet, breaking his flag aboard , forward deployed to the Western Pacific and homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. As Carrier Battle Group Commander he led contingency response operations to both the Persian Gulf and Taiwan Straits.

Ellis's shore and staff assignments include tours as an experimental/operational test pilot, service in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, and duty as F/A-18 Program Coordinator, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare). He has also served as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force FIVE, the counter-narcotics force for United States Commander in Chief Pacific. In November 1993 he reported as Inspector General, United States Atlantic Fleet, and subsequently served as Director for Operations, Plans and Policy (N3/N5) on the staff of the Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. He assumed duties as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy and Operations) in November 1996. Ellis became Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe, headquartered in London, England, and Commander in Chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe headquartered in Naples, Italy, in October 1998.

Ellis served as Commander, United States Strategic Command, from 2002 and retired from the navy in 2004.

Education Ellis holds Master of Science degrees in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and in aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida. He is also a 1975 graduate of United States Naval Test Pilot School. He completed United States Navy nuclear power training in 1987 and is a graduate of the Senior Officer Program in National Security Strategy at Harvard University.

Awards and decorations

Naval Aviator BadgeDefense Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersNavy Distinguished Service Medal with one gold award starLegion of Merit with three gold award starsDefense Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal with award starNavy and Marine Corps Commendation MedalJoint Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clustersNavy Unit CommendationNavy Meritorious Unit CommendationNavy E RibbonNavy Expeditionary MedalNational Defense Service Medal with two bronze service starsArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service Medal with service starSouthwest Asia Service Medal with service starKosovo Campaign Medal with service starArmed Forces Service MedalHumanitarian Service Medal with service starNavy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service starNavy & Marine Corps Overseas Service RibbonSpecial Operations Service RibbonOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic, Grand OfficerOrder of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, Military Commander's CrossUnited Nations Medal with service starNATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia with service starVietnam Campaign MedalKuwait Liberation Medal from KuwaitNavy Expert Pistol Shot MedalBasic Parachutist BadgeOffice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification BadgeUnited States Strategic Command Badge