P. Gardner Howe, III

Philip Gardner Howe III is a retired United States Navy vice admiral and Navy SEAL. His assignment prior to retirement in 2019 was associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency. He previously served as the 55th President of the Naval War College, and was the first SEAL officer to hold this assignment. Prior to that, Howe was the Commander, Special Operations Command Pacific.

Military career Howe was a commissioned as an Ensign following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1984. Howe then received orders to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. After six months of training, Howe graduated with BUD/S class 131 in February 1985. Following SEAL Tactical Training and completion of six month probationary period, he received the 1130 designator as a Naval Special Warfare Officer, entitled to wear the Special Warfare insignia. He has held many positions within the Naval Special Warfare and Joint Special Operations Command JSOC communities. Howe has commanded Naval Special Warfare Unit THREE (NSWU-3) in Bahrain, Naval Special Warfare Group 3 in San Diego, and Special Operations Command Pacific. His overseas deployments have been in support of Operations Earnest Will, Provide Promise, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom as well as others across Asia and the western Pacific region.

Howe's major joint and staff assignments include current operations officer at Special Operations Command Pacific; chief staff officer, Naval Special Warfare Development Group; assistant chief of staff for Operations, Plans and Policy at Naval Special Warfare Command; director of Legislative Affairs for Special Operations Command; and assistant commanding officer, operations Joint Special Operations Command. Howe became associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency on 4 October 2016. Howe retired to Newport, RI at the end of 2019 and currently serves on the Navy SEAL Foundation board of advisors.

Education Howe is a 1984 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1995 with a Master of Arts in national security affairs, and from the National War College in 2002 with a Master of Arts in national security.