VADM James B. Perkins, III, USN (ret.)

Vice Admiral James B. Perkins III, USN (Retired) is the President of L-3 Communications/TMA Corporation. TMA is headquartered in McLean, Virginia; employs over 500 people in ten primary offices and numerous field sites nationwide; and provides project engineering, technical services, and information technology services to support government and commercial clients. Admiral Perkins also serves as the Senior Military Advisor for the American Maritime Congress.

Vice Admiral Perkins retired from active duty in 1999 after a successful 35-year career as a Surface Warfare Officer. His experience included six command tours as well as a wide variety of senior operational leadership positions. His last assignment was as Commander, Military Sealift Command: responsible for 110 ships, 8000 employees and a $2.1 billion annual budget. During this tour, he skillfully executed his responsibilities in coordination with all the military services, 33 ocean transportation companies, eight labor unions, the U.S. Congress, and Departments of State and Transportation; earning the NDTA DOD Distinguished Service Award for 1999.

From 1994 to 1997, as Deputy Commander in Chief (DCINC), U.S. Southern Command, he was responsible for operations involving over 5000 men and women from all military services in Central and South America. He led SOUTHCOM’s counter-drug, nation building and disaster relief efforts, and during a four-month period as Acting CINC, took a leadership role in resolving international crises in Paraguay and Ecuador – Peru. Prior to this tour, he commanded the 25-ship Amphibious Group Three, and served as Senior Naval Commander in Somalia for relief operations (1992) and again for U.S. force withdrawal (1994).

Admiral Perkins was Commander, Naval Forces Marianas from 1990-1992, with responsibility for over 10,000 servicemen and women and their families, as well as U.S. military relations with the Government of Guam. During this tour, he supervised the evacuation of over 21,000 military dependents from the Philippines after Mount Pinatubo erupted. Other significant duties have included command of a Guided Missile Frigate, command of a nine-ship Destroyer squadron, and CNO’s sponsor for the Navy’s current ASW suite.

Admiral Perkins is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has earned a M.S. in Engineering Acoustics and a M.S. in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a member of Sigma Xi, the Research Society of North America; the American Society of Naval Engineers; the Surface Navy Association; the Propeller Club and the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA).