Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations
United States Africa Command

From October 2007 to April 2010, Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller served as Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations (DCMO) of United States Africa Command. Among U.S. geographic commands, AFRICOM is unique in having two co-equal deputies -- a civilian deputy and a military deputy. The DCMO's civilian counterpart is the Deputy to the Commander for Civil- Military Activities (DCMA), currently held by a State Department ambassador. Because U.S. law does not allow a State Department official to hold military command authority, Moeller as DCMO exercised command authority in the AFRICOM commander's absence.

Vice Admiral Moeller is a New Jersey native, the son of a World War II Navy veteran, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1974, receiving his commission from the Notre Dame NROTC program.

Trained as a Surface Warfare Officer, Vice Admiral Moeller has served in a variety of sea and shore assignments, including joint duty. At sea, his assignments included USS ALBANY (CG 10), flagship for Commander, Second and Sixth Fleets, where he served as Talos Fire Control Officer and Boilers Officer; USS JULIUS A. FURER (FFG 6); Combat Systems and Material Officer on the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron Thirty Six; USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50) as precommissioning Engineer Officer; USS BELKNAP (CG 26), flagship for Commander, Sixth Fleet, as both Executive Officer and later Commanding Officer; and USS PORT ROYAL (CG 73) as Commanding Officer.

His CO tour in BELKNAP included initial Partnership for Peace operations, UN/NATO Operations Provide Promise and Deny Flight, and the first Navy visits to Odessa, Ukraine and Novorossiysk, Russia. During his command of USS PORT ROYAL, the ship received her third and fourth consecutive Battle 'E' awards, and installed and employed Linebacker, the Navy's first TBMD capability

Ashore, Vice Admiral Moeller has served in OPNAV in the Systems Analysis Division (OP 96) as Surface ASW and IUSS analyst; the Program Resource Appraisal Division (OP 91) as Net Assessment analyst; SECNAV Office of Program Appraisal (OPA) as Surface Warfare and C4I analyst; OSD's Office of Director Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) as Maritime Warfare analyst; and Commanding Officer, Surface Warfare Officers School.

In 1989, Vice Admiral Moeller was selected as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He has earned a master's degree in National Security Studies from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

Vice Admiral Moeller served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, Policy and Training (N3N5N7) and as Director for Operations (J3), Joint Task Force (JTF) - 519 for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet from May 2001 through August 2003 and as Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group ONE/Commander, Ronald Reagan Strike Group from August 2003 through August 2004 He served in the U.S. Central Command as the Director, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5), from August 2004 through July 2006 and Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Central Command in July 2006 through January 2007.

Vice Admiral Moeller began serving as deputy to the commander for military operations when U.S. Africa Command reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in October 2007. From February 2007 through September 2007, he served as Executive Director of the U.S. Africa Command Transition Team.

Vice Admiral Moeller's awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a Gold Star.