{{Short description|US Navy vice-admiral}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox military person |name= Ted N. Branch |image= Thumb VADM Branch, Ted.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= Twig |birth_date= {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|11|28}} |birth_place= Long Beach, Mississippi, U.S. |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= United States |branch= United States Navy |service_years= 1979–2016 |rank= Vice Admiral |service_number= |unit= |commands= Office of Naval Intelligence<br/>Naval Air Force Atlantic<br/>Carrier Strike Group 1<br/>{{USS|Nimitz|CVN 68|6}}<br/>{{USS|Coronado|AGF-11|6}}<br/>Strike Fighter Squadron 15 |battles={{unbulleted list| Operation Southern Watch | Operation Urgent Fury | Operation Earnest Will | Operation Deliberate Force | Operation Iraqi Freedom | Operation Unified Response}} |awards= Navy Distinguished Service Medal<br/>Legion of Merit (6) |relations= |other_work= }} '''Ted N. "Twig" Branch''' (born 22 April 1957) retired as a vice admiral in the United States Navy on 1 October 2016, after serving the last three years of his 37-year career as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for information warfare. In that capacity, he was the resource sponsor for the N2N6 portfolio which includes program investments for assured command and control, battlespace awareness, and integrated fires. He was the Navy's Chief Information Officer, the Director of Navy Cybersecurity, the leader of the Information Warfare Community, and the Director of Naval Intelligence. In November 2013, Branch was questioned by the Department of Justice regarding his role in the Glenn Defense Marine Asia investigation. As a result, the Secretary of the Navy suspended his access to classified information. After a three-year investigation by the Justice Department, Branch was cleared of all criminal charges. A separate Navy disciplinary review found that he had violated ethics rules by accepting minor gifts and attending a dinner hosted by the Glenn Defense.
==Education== * Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy, 1979 * Master of international relations, Naval War College
==Military career== Branch was a career naval aviator, flying A-7 Corsairs and F/A-18 Hornets. He has flown combat missions over Grenada, Lebanon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Iraq. He has served as the commanding officer of VFA-15 (Strike Fighter Squadron 15), the {{USS|Coronado|AGF-11}}, the {{USS|Nimitz|CVN 68}}, Carrier Strike Group One (Carl Vinson Strike Group), and Naval Air Force Atlantic. He has also served on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071029212700/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=426 Navy.mil Leadership Biographies]</ref>
As the commander of the {{USS|Nimitz|CVN 68}}, then-Captain Branch was featured prominently in the Emmy award-winning documentary television series ''Carrier''.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/weta/carrier/the_crew.htm CARRIER . The Crew | PBS]</ref>
In January 2010, as the Commander of the Carl Vinson Strike Group, Branch led the initial US Navy response to the Haiti earthquake.
From February 2011 to July 2013, Branch served as the Commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. In that role he was responsible for manning, training, and equipping all elements of Naval Air Force, Atlantic – over 1000 aircraft, 40 thousand personnel, and six nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. While there, he also established the Interoperability Coordination Office for the United Kingdom's new aircraft carriers and the introduction of the F-35 aircraft.
On 16 May 2013, Branch was nominated by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to become the Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO)for Information Dominance (later renamed Information Warfare). He was confirmed by the United States Senate in July 2013 and promoted to Vice Admiral (O-9).<ref>[http://navintpro.net/?p=3419 Formal Nomination as DCNO for Information Dominance | Naval Intelligence Professionals]</ref>
While serving in the DCNO/DNI roles, he also took on the position of Directory of Navy Cybersecurity, becoming the Navy's leading proponent for cybersecurity. In this role, he stood up a year-long matrixed organization called Task Force Cyber Awakening to develop and implement Navy's cybersecurity strategy. That group developed the CYBERSAFE program to design and build in cyber resiliency, and inculcate an enhanced culture of cybersecurity throughout the U.S. Navy. When the Task Force completed their efforts, he stood up the Navy Cybersecurity Division within N2N6 so the process of instituting CYBERSAFE and a culture of cybersecurity could continue.
==Corruption scandal== {{Main|Fat Leonard scandal}} On 8 November 2013, the Navy suspended Branch's access to classified information in connection with a Department of Justice investigation involving Singapore-based defense contractor, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.<ref>{{cite news|last=Whitlock|first=Craig|title=Two admirals face probe in Navy bribery scheme|newspaper=Washington Post |date=8 November 2013|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/two-admirals-face-probe-in-navy-bribery-scheme/2013/11/08/d2dc063a-48d8-11e3-bf0c-cebf37c6f484_story.html?clsrd|accessdate=8 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Perry|first=Tony |title=Two admirals under investigation in Navy bribery scandal|work=Los Angeles Times|date=8 November 2013|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-navy-admirals-20131108,0,4094344.story#axzz2k6D0KX8h|accessdate=8 November 2013}}</ref> The investigation as to Branch involves a non-criminal accusation of "inappropriate conduct" associated with his acceptance of gifts from Glenn Marine during his tour as commanding officer of USS Nimitz on a western Pacific/Persian Gulf deployment in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kenny|first=Steve |author2=Drew, Christopher |title=Contracting Case Implicates 2 Admirals |work=New York Times|date=8 November 2013|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/09/us/bribery-case-implicates-2-admirals.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes|accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref> Although Branch remained in his post during the lengthy Justice Department investigation, his access to classified information remained suspended, relegating him to unclassified duties.
In September 2015, the Navy formally nominated Rear Admiral Elizabeth L. Train to succeed Branch as Director of Naval Intelligence.<ref>{{cite web|last=Larter|first=David|title=Navy nominates new intel boss after two-year stalemate|work=Military Times|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/09/27/elizabeth-train-ted-branch-director-navy-intelligence-nomination-fat-leonard/72739896/|date=27 September 2015|accessdate=13 November 2015}}</ref>
In January 2016, the Washington Post reported that Branch was still functioning in his role, yet was "barred from reading, seeing or hearing classified information since November 2013", due to the suspension tied to the investigation.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/01/27/the-admiral-in-charge-of-navy-intelligence-has-not-been-allowed-to-see-military-secrets-for-years/ | first=Craig | last=Whitlock | title=The admiral in charge of Navy intelligence has not been allowed to see military secrets for years | newspaper=Washington Post | date=28 January 2016 | accessdate=31 October 2019}}</ref>
On 1 April 2016, the ''Navy Times'' reported that the Navy had withdrawn Elizabeth Train's nomination to succeed Branch in favor of Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe, previously commander of the Navy's Fleet Cyber Command and Commander, U.S. Tenth Fleet. Vice Admiral Tighe relieved Branch as Deputy CNO for Information Warfare/Director of Naval Intelligence in July 2016. Branch's access to classified information remained suspended until he retired.
Both the Navy and the Department of Justice cleared Branch of any wrongdoing in September 2017 and declined to prosecute Branch after a three-year investigation that resulted in no charges being brought.<ref>[https://news.usni.org/2017/09/22/former-naval-intelligence-chief-ted-branch-cleared-fat-leonard-case Former Naval Intelligence Chief cleared in Fat Leonard case], ''USNI News'', Sam LaGrone, 22 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.</ref> A Navy disciplinary review concluded that Branch had violated ethics rules by accepting gifts and accepting dinner from Leonard Francis. Branch received a letter reminding him of ethics rules and advising him from repeating the conduct.<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitlock |first=Craig |title=Fat Leonard: How One Man Bribed, Bilked, and Seduced the U.S. Navy |date=2024-05-14 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-1982131654}}</ref>{{rp|286}}
==Military awards and decorations== {| |180px |Information Dominance Warfare Officer Badge |- |180px |Naval Aviator Wings |- |50px |Command at Sea insignia |- |115px |Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |} {| |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Distinguished Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Legion of Merit (with one silver award star) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Defense Meritorious Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Meritorious Service Medal (with one gold award star) |- |80px<span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -22px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">15px</span> |Air Medal with Strike/Flight numeral 1 |- |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=award-star|other_device=v|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Commendation Medal (with two gold award stars and Combat V) |- |80px |Navy Achievement Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg|width=80}} |Joint Meritorious Unit Award |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (with one bronze service star) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 4th award.svg|width=80}} |Navy "E" Ribbon w/ Wreathed Battle E device (5 awards) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Expeditionary Medal (with one bronze service star) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze service star) |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=80}} |Southwest Asia Service Medal |- |border|80px |Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |- |80px |Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Armed Forces Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|other_device=bss|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=80}} |Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with silver and bronze service star) |- |80px |Navy Expert Pistol Marksmanship Medal |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071029212700/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=426 Official Navy Biography]
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Kendall L. Card}} {{s-ttl|title=Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence|years=2013–2016}} {{s-aft|after= Jan E. Tighe}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Branch, Ted}} Category:United States Navy vice admirals Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:People from Long Beach, Mississippi Category:Living people Category:Directors of the Office of Naval Intelligence Category:1957 births