by Mike Smith
Photo by Paul Simonds
Undersea Dominance A Submarine Force for the Future
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S U M M E R 2 0 0 6 U N D E R S E A WA R F A R E
Rear Adm. Joe Walsh was relieved as Director, Submarine Warfare (OPNAV N87) in July of this year, serving in this billet since May 2004, and reported as Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) in August. He is a native of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1977. Rear Adm. Walsh then served in a variety of submarine billets: Main Propulsion Assistant and Weapons Officer on USS Skipjack (SSN-585); Engineer of USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705); Executive Officer of USS Ohio (SSBN-726)(B); Commanding Officer of USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709); Commander, Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE; and Commander, Submarine Group TWO. He has also served in a number of diverse shore assignments: Nuclear Power Training Unit instructor, Submarine Department Head Detailer, Naval Aide to Presidents H. W. Bush and Clinton, Special Assistant to the Deputy Director/Prospective Commanding Officer Instructor at Naval Reactors, and Chief of Staff for Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Rear Adm. Walsh recently sat down with UNDERSEA WARFARE Magazine to discuss the current and future states of the Submarine Force, his experiences as N87, and his assignment as COMSUBPAC.
