Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral James R. Hogg, USN (Ret.), served as director of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Strategic Studies Group (SSG) from July 1995 through September 2013 for SSGs XV through XXXII. While continu-ing to work directly for and reporting only to the CNO (as had SSGs I through XIV), the SSG focus during Admiral Hogg’s directorship was the generation of revolutionary concepts at the operational level of warfare for the future Navy. This oral history, based on a series of interviews by the Naval War College's Dara Baker and edited by former SSG deputy William G. Glenney, IV, is scoped toward capturing the leadership and mentoring approaches and techniques Admiral Hogg used to establish the SSG “Process of Innovation” as he guided 18 SSGs to successful mission accomplishment and professionally developed more than 400 military officers, of whom more than 47 attained flag- or general-officer rank, and over 100 civilians. Admiral Hogg’s leadership and professional abilities were the single most important factor in the SSG’s record of sustained success in meeting the CNO’s needs for 18 years and defining the U.S. Navy of the future.

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