Joseph Bouchard

Joseph F. Bouchard (born July 17, 1954) is a former United States Navy captain who retired in 2003 after 27 years on active duty.

He commanded the destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD-972) and Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base.

Bouchard graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy, where he majored in international security affairs and studied Chinese and Japanese.

He earned a Master of Arts degree in national security affairs from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and a Doctor of Philosophy in political science (international relations and strategic studies) from Stanford University.

He also is a graduate of:

Bouchard was a specialist in strategic and operational planning, including assignments as branch head, Strategy and Concepts Branch, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; deputy senior director for defense policy and arms control, National Security Council, The White House; and deputy director, Navy Operations Group (Deep Blue), which was responsible for planning the navy's role in the war on terror.

At the National Security Council, he was principal author of the National Security Strategy, 1997–1999.

He received numerous personal decorations, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the highest non-combat award in the US military.

Bouchard's US Navy assignments included:

Bouchard is heavily involved in state, regional and local activities in the areas of national security, adaptation to sea level rise and economic development.

Bouchard is widely recognized as an expert on national defense and homeland security, and has received several awards for his leadership in port security, including the Secretary of Defense 2002 Annual Antiterrorism Award, Secretary of Transportation 2002 Partnering for Excellence Award, Virginia Port Authority Medal of Excellence, and the Virginia Maritime Association Port Champion Award.

He has served on the Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel, which advises the governor on homeland security and emergency preparedness, since 2007.

He serves on the board of directors of the Virginia Maritime Association and is a member of the advisory committee for the Maritime Institute at Old Dominion University.

He has made scores of presentations at international, national and regional conferences, and is a frequent commentator on radio and television on naval matters, national security and sea level rise.

Bouchard also is recognized as an expert on the economic and national security aspects of environmental and climate change policy.

While representing Virginia Beach in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2008–2009, Bouchard served on the Finance Committee, Science and Technology Committee, and the Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.

He was the only member of the General Assembly who had commanded a military base in Virginia.

Bouchard is the senior judge advisor for FIRST Tech Challenge in Virginia and a judge and judge advisor the FIRST Robotics Competition Chesapeake Division.

He has been involved with FIRST for over ten years.

Bouchard is the author of Command in Crisis and numerous articles on defense, naval and homeland security matters, and has won two awards for his naval history writings:

Bouchard won numerous awards while on active duty:

He served on the Virginia Beach Alternative Energy Task Force, 2009–2010, and in 2008 served on the Governor's Commission on Climate Change and chaired its Adaptation Working Group.

He founded the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Preparedness and Resilience Intergovernmental Planning Pilot Project, April 2014 – July 2016, drafting the charter for the pilot project, including its mission, organizational structure, deliverables and timeline, assisting with planning of pilot project events, and assisting with identifying persons to serve on the various working groups and advisory committees.