Rear Adm. Ted LeClair is a native of Scituate, Massachusetts, and a 1991 graduate of Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was commissioned through Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. He holds Master’s degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and the U.S. Army War College and is a graduate with distinction of the Joint Forces Staff College.
As a surface warfare officer, he initially served as first lieutenant and repair division officer aboard USS Callaghan (DDG 994). He has operational experience in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf including deployments in support of Operations Northern and Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His two mobilizations were to combat zones in Kuwait and Iraq.
Upon affiliating with the Navy Reserve (NR), he first served as assistant operations officer at Battle Group Staff 2 in support of USS George Washington (CVN 73) Strike Group. Subsequently, he completed operations department head, executive officer and back to back command tours in Naval Coastal Warfare and Maritime Expeditionary force hardware commands. Other staff assignments include deputy J3 (wartime) at U.S. Forces Korea and various assignments at U.S. Combined Forces Command Korea and United Nations Command Korea; as maritime operations center chief, U.S. 7th Fleet; deputy director, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Navy Reserve Enterprise; and acting chief of staff, Warfare Integration (OPNAV N9I) on the staff of the chief of naval operations.
LeClair’s command tours include Inshore Boat Unit 22, Maritime Expeditionary Boat Division 42, NR U.S. Forces Korea, CNO Warfare Systems (OPNAV N9) Reserve Support Unit and NR U.S. 7th Fleet.
LeClair assumed duties as deputy commander, U.S. 7th Fleet October 2018.
He is a former member of the Secretary of the Navy’s National Navy Reserve Policy Board and served on Navy teams that have been awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Battle Efficiency “E” Awards.