Adm. William J. Fallon took charge of United States Central Command here Friday replacing the retiring Gen. John P. Abizaid.
Fallon, the former chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, now leads more than 200,000 service members deployed in CENTCOMs area of responsibility, which includes 27 nations throughout Southwest Asia, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Fallon is the first naval officer to assume command of CENTCOM, which began as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force in 1980...
Fallon began his naval career in 1967 and has an impressive list of accomplishments since then. He flew the RA-5C Vigilante with a combat deployment to Vietnam , transitioning to the A-6 Intruder in 1974. He served in flying assignments with attack squadrons and carrier air wings for 24 years, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans embarked in USS Saratoga, USS Ranger, USS Nimitz, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Theodore Roosevelt. He has logged more than 1,300 carrier arrested landings and 4,800 flight hours in tactical jet aircraft.
Fallons awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal. 
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