Vice Admiral Gene Black
Commander, Sixth Fleet
Eugene Black is a native of New Jersey. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with an undergraduate degree in political science. He later earned a Master of Science in management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
At sea, he served as commanding officer of USS Leyte Gulf, including deployments to the Arabian Gulf and North Arabian Sea. He commanded USS Mason that also deployed to the Arabian Gulf. Other assignments included aboard USS Ramage, USS Normandy and USS Gallery. He was on the staff of the commander, South Atlantic Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Shore duty assignments include Director, Surface Warfare Officer Distribution, Navy Personnel Command; Future Ships branch head, Surface Warfare Directorate on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations; and Afghanistan/Pakistan Politico-Military Policy branch head, Joint Staff. He was a Surface Warfare Officer School department head instructor in Newport, Rhode Island.
In June 2020, Black assumed duties as Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, Naval Striking and Support Forces, NATO; Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa; and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander.
In the News…
More than 75 representatives from 12 U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps commands took part in a U.S. Naval War College-hosted war game. The primary focus was on maritime command and control in the Atlantic.
The Trans—Atlantic Maritime Game 2021 examined alternative command and control structures across the Atlantic to inform the maritime support plans and activities of Commander, Naval Forces Europe and Commander, Naval Forces North.
It was not a two-sided “red versus blue” wargame, but a one-sided seminar wargame that explored the responsibilities, authorities, and capabilities required to effectively command and control American naval forces in the Atlantic. Players were split into three independent teams, each evaluating critical strengths and weaknesses of their unique trans-Atlantic command and control structure through the lens of seven criteria.
Their results will be analyzed over the next several months and included in a forthcoming game report.
Vice Admiral Gene Black said it is essential now more than ever to “understand where we have operational seams and how to work across them. This war game helped us do just that and more.”
