Nora Tyson served over 38 years on active duty in the United States Navy, retiring as a Vice Admiral. The Memphis native earned her Naval Flight Officer wings in 1983. She is a 1995 graduate of the U.S. Naval War College with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Affairs.  

An aviator by specialty, Tyson served three operational flying tours in Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron FOUR, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, including one as Commanding Officer. The squadron provides secure communications between National Command Authorities and our nations nuclear forces.

Tyson’s operational assignments include USS Lexington (CV-16); Navigator aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65); Commanding Officer of amphibious assault ship, USS Bataan (LHD-5), leading the Navy’s initial disaster relief efforts on the U.S. Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and deploying twice to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Commander, Task Force 73, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific based in Singapore; and Commander, Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG 2), where she led the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) Strike Group on its maiden deployment in support of combat operations in both U.S. Fifth and Sixth Fleet areas of responsibility.

Her shore assignments include Political Military Planner in the Asia-Pacific Division of Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J5) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS); Executive Assistant for the Assistant to the Chairman of JCS; Director of Staff for Commander, Naval Forces Europe/Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet; Executive Assistant for the Chief of Naval Operations; Vice Director, Joint Staff, and Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

Tyson’s last active duty assignment was Commander, U.S. Third Fleet, from July 2015 to September 2017, commanding all Naval Forces on the West Coast to the international date line, comprised of about 110 ships, 400 aircraft and 60,000 people. Her military awards include: Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2), Defense Superior Service Medal (2), Legion of Merit (5), Meritorious Service Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) and various unit awards.