The Navy’s top legal officer has submitted his request to retire after three months in the position, USNI News has learned.
Judge Advocate General of the Navy Vice Adm. Christopher French submitted his official voluntary request to retire at a lower rank, a Navy spokesman confirmed to USNI News in a statement.
“Vice Adm. Christopher C. French has submitted a voluntary retirement request to retire in the grade of rear admiral,” reads the Monday statement from chief Navy spokesman Rear Adm. Ryan Perry.
“If the request is approved by the Secretary of Defense, French will continue to serve as the Judge Advocate General of the Navy until his approved retirement date.”
No further details about why French submitted his retirement request to leave as a two-star were available, with the Navy declining to provide additional information.
French took over as the judge advocate general of the Navy in September, relieving Vice Adm. Darse Crandall Jr. to become the 46th Navy JAG. He commissioned into the Navy in 1992 through the Judge Advocate General’s Corps Student Program and graduated from Villanova University School of Law in 1993.
He previously served as the fleet judge advocate to U.S. 7th Fleet commander, as well as the staff judge advocate to Carrier Strike Group 5 and the legal officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68), according to his Navy biography.
He had also served as Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy; legal counsel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; staff judge advocate, U.S. European Command; deputy legal advisor to the National Security Council and as special counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations.
