Rear Admiral John Terence Blake ‘71
2006 Recipient
United States Navy
Deputy Director for Resources and Acquisition, J-8
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Rear Admiral John Terence Blake was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in 1971. While attending McClancy High School he lettered in Track, was elected to the Student Government, served on the Student Activities Committee, and was President of the National Honor Society school chapter his senior year.
Appointed to the United States Naval Academy from the state of New York, he graduated in 1975. His sea duty assignments include: USS NEW (DD 818), USS SARFIELD (DD 837), USS JOSEPH STRAUSS (DDG 16), USS JOHN YOUNG (DD 973), USS CHANDLER (DDG 996) and USS LEAHY (CG 16).
Rear Admiral Blake commanded the destroyer USS O’BRIEN (DD 975), served on the SEVENTH Fleet Staff in the western Pacific as Current Operations and Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, and as Commanding Officer, USS NORMANDY (CG 60).
His shore duty assignments include: Flag Lieutenant to Commander, Navy Recruiting Command; Naval Post Graduate School where he earned a Masters Degree in Finance; Navy Staff (N80) Head, Sea Control Section and Program Manager for the Navy Shipbuilding account; National War College where he earned a Masters Degree in National Security; Joint Staff (J8) Division Chief and Head of the Combat Identification Joint Warfare Capability Assessment Team; Director, Programming Division (N80); Director, Operations Division, Office of Budget in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management/Comptroller) and Director, Operations Division, Fiscal Management Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Rear Admiral Blake is currently assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, where he is the Deputy Director for Resources and Acquisition, J-8.
Rear Admiral Blake is married to the former Nan Marie Connelly of Crofton Maryland. They have three children; Tara (a Junior at the University of Maryland), Erin (a Freshman at Pennsylvania State University) and J.T. (a Junior at Arundel High School). Outside activities include Assistant Scout Master for Troop 115 of the Boy Scouts of America at the local church and sporting activities of any kind.
He is authorized to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars and various service and campaign medals.