{{short description|U.S. Navy admiral}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use American English|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox military person | name = Fred W. Kacher | image = VADM Frederick W. Kacher (2).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | nickname = | birth_date = 1968 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Navy | service_years = 1990-present | rank = Vice Admiral | service_number = | unit = | commands = {{plainlist| *Director of the Joint Staff *United States Seventh Fleet *United States Naval Academy *Expeditionary Strike Group 7 *Destroyer Squadron 7 *{{USS|Stockdale|DDG-106}} }} | battles = Gulf War | awards = Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2)<br/>Defense Superior Service Medal<br/>Legion of Merit (4) | alma_mater = United States Naval Academy (BS)<br/>Harvard University (MA) | relations = Divorce with one son | other_work = }} '''Frederick William Kacher'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/101st-congress/1011 |title=PN1011 — Navy — 101st Congress (1989–1990) |date=March 9, 1990 |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref> (born 1968)<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DD8BVZeVFP4C&pg=PA197 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty |date=October 1, 1990 |page=197 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref> is a United States Navy vice admiral and former director of the Joint Staff. He served as the commander of the United States Seventh Fleet from February 15, 2024. He also served as the acting superintendent of the United States Naval Academy<ref>{{Cite web |title=KACHER TO SERVE AS ACTING SUPERINTENDENT AT NAVAL ACADEMY. |url=https://www.usna.edu/NewsCenter/2023/08/KACHER_TO_SERVE_AS_ACTING_SUPERINTENDENT_AT_NAVAL_ACADEMY.php |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=www.usna.edu |language=en}}</ref> from August 2023 to January 2024. He previously served as vice director for operations of the Joint Staff from June 2022 to June 2023. He served as the assistant deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans, and strategy of the United States Navy from May 2021 to June 2022, and prior to that, he served as the Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 7.<ref name="Navy bio">{{Cite web|url=https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2236386/rear-admiral-fred-kacher/|title=Rear Admiral Fred Kacher|date=June 7, 2021|website=www.navy.mil|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usni.org/people/frederick-kacher|title=Frederick Kacher|website=U.S. Naval Institute}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2553972/flag-officer-assignments/|title=Flag Officer Assignments|website=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=July 31, 2021|archive-date=June 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610115356/https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2553972/flag-officer-assignments/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/397801/desron-15-conducts-annual-yokosuka-surface-warfare-officer-summit-virtually|title=DESRON 15 Conducts Annual Yokosuka Surface Warfare Officer Summit Virtually|website=DVIDS|access-date=July 31, 2021|archive-date=July 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731044950/https://www.dvidshub.net/news/397801/desron-15-conducts-annual-yokosuka-surface-warfare-officer-summit-virtually|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/Remembering-September-11th-2017/Videos/videoid/696427/dvpTag/Rear/|title=Amphibious Commander talks Talisman Sabre|website=United States Department of Defense|access-date=July 31, 2021|archive-date=July 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731045011/https://dod.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/Remembering-September-11th-2017/Videos/videoid/696427/dvpTag/Rear/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Raised in Oakton, Virginia, Kacher graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in English. He later earned a Master of Public Policy degree with a concentration in international relations from the Kennedy School at Harvard University.<ref name="Navy bio"/>
Kacher is the author of the "Newly Commissioned Naval Officer's Guide" (first edition 2009, second edition 2018) and co-author with fellow Naval Academy alumnus Douglas Robb of the "Naval Officer's Guide to the Pentagon" (2019).<ref name="Navy bio"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=no-BPgAACAAJ |title=Newly Commissioned Naval Officer's Guide |date=2009 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=9781591144267 |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNXhswEACAAJ |title=Newly Commissioned Naval Officer's Guide |date=2018 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=9781682473658 |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usni.org/press/books/naval-officers-guide-pentagon |title=Naval Officer's Guide to the Pentagon |date=November 15, 2019 |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref>
==Military career== In June 2022, Kacher was assigned as vice director for operations of the Joint Staff.<ref name="1 June Flag">{{cite web|url=https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3050500/flag-officer-assignments/|title=Flag Officer Assignments|date=June 1, 2022|access-date=June 3, 2022|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>
In January 2023, Kacher was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as commander of the United States Seventh Fleet.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/118th-congress/212 |title= PN212 — Rear Adm. Frederick W. Kacher — Navy |date=January 26, 2023 |website=United States Congress}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3280606/flag-officer-announcements/https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3280606/flag-officer-announcements/|title=Flag Officer Announcements|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}{{dead link|date=December 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In June 2025, he was nominated for reappointment as a vice admiral and assignment as director of the Joint Staff.<ref name="PN362 — Navy">{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/362|title=PN362 — Navy, 119th Congress (2025–2026)|date=2025-06-17|access-date=2025-06-19|website=U.S. Congress}}</ref><ref name="18 June Flag">{{cite web|url=https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4221190/secretary-of-defense-flag-officer-announcement-for-june-18-2025/|title=Secretary of Defense Flag Officer Announcement for June 18, 2025|date=2025-06-18|access-date=2025-06-19|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref> In February 2026, Kacher was removed from this position, with one source saying he was not the right fit for the position.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-removes-senior-official-joint-staff-post-sources-say-2026-02-26/|title=Pentagon removes senior official from Joint Staff post, sources say}}</ref>
==Honors== *55px|ribbon bar Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class, Gold and Silver Star <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/101019599.pdf|title= 2026 Spring Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals|access-date= 30 April 2026|website= Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan}}</ref>
==References== {{commons category|Frederick W. Kacher}} {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Charles Cooper II}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 7|years=2019–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Christopher M. Engdahl}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sean Buck}} {{s-ttl|title=Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy<br />{{small|Acting}}|years=2023–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Yvette M. Davids}} |- {{s-bef|before=Karl O. Thomas}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander of the United States Seventh Fleet|years=2024–2025}} {{s-aft|after= Patrick J. Hannifin}} |- {{s-bef|before=Stephen Liszewski<br>{{small|Acting}}}} {{s-ttl|title=Director of the Joint Staff|years=2025–2026}} {{s-vac}} {{s-end}}
{{United States Naval Academy superintendents}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kacher, Frederick W.}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:People from Oakton, Virginia Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Navy admirals Category:Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class
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