THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 TAG: 9605140277
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
Vice Adm. J. Paul Reason, a former destroyer and nuclear-powered cruiser captain in Norfolk, commander of the Navy's surface ship force in the Atlantic and the senior officer to handle the infamous Tailhook prosecutions, has been nominated for promotion to four-star admiral and command of the Atlantic Fleet.
President Clinton nominated the 55-year-old Washington, D.C., native and Naval Academy graduate on Monday. If confirmed by the Senate, Reason would become the Navy's first black fleet admiral.
The first black to rise to four-star rank in the U.S. military was Air Force Gen. Daniel ``Chappie'' James, who was promoted in September 1975 and retired in 1978. The only other Air Force four-star was Gen. Bernard Randolph, who gained the promotion in August 1987 and retired three years later.
The only black four-star in the active-duty military currently is Army Gen. Johnnie E. Wilson, whose promotion took effect this month. He was the third black in the Army to reach four-star rank. The first was the late Gen. Roscoe Robinson Jr., in 1982, and the other was Gen. Colin Powell, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was promoted to four stars in 1989.
Clinton also nominated Rear Adm. Patricia A. Tracey for promotion to vice admiral, making her only the second woman to rise to three-star ranking in any service. The first was Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Carol Mutter, whose promotion and assignment as deputy chief of staff for manpower was announced two months ago.
Tracey, 45, of New York City, will be chief of naval education and training.
There has never been a female four-star in any service.
If confirmed by the Senate as expected, Reason will replace Adm. William J. Flanagan as head of Atlantic Fleet. Flanagan, 53, is considered a candidate to replace Marine Gen. John J. Sheehan as commander in chief of U.S. Atlantic Command, also headquartered in Norfolk.
Atlantic Fleet officials said Flanagan plans to remain in his position into next year. Reason was unavailable for comment, and his office could not say when the change of command would take place.
Reason currently is deputy chief of naval operations for plans, policy and operations, in the Pentagon.
He was born in Washington, D.C., and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1965.
His early naval experience was in nuclear power training, which initially led him to duty aboard the nuclear carrier Enterprise and later to the nuclear guided missile cruiser Truxtun as combat systems officer.
In December 1976 he became a naval aide to incoming President Jimmy Carter and remained in that position until June 1979, when he became executive officer of the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Mississippi in Norfolk. In September 1981 he became commanding officer of the guided missile destroyer Coontz, a fuel-fired ship also stationed in Norfolk.
In 1983 Reason, newly promoted to captain, took command of the nuclear guided missile cruiser Bainbridge in Norfolk, a command he kept until July 1986.
He was reassigned to command the Seattle Naval Base for the next two years, being promoted to flag rank in 1987.
In September 1988 he took over command of Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 in San Diego.
He is a veteran of duty in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars and one Silver Star. He also holds two Legion of Merit awards, plus other campaign ribbons and awards.
Reason is married to the former Dianne Lillian Fowler of Washington, D.C. They have two children, Rebecca L. Reason, 29, and Joseph P. Reason Jr., 28. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Vice Adm. J. Paul Reason was the senior officer in charge of
Tailhook prosecutions.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET by CNB