Buck was designated a naval flight officer in 1985.
As a flag officer, Buck has served as commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force with U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets, Fleet Air Forward, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group; chief of staff, Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5), the Joint Staff; Director, 21st Century Sailor Office, where his portfolio included the Navy's programs on sexual assault prevention and response, suicide prevention, alcohol abuse, and other destructive behaviors; and most recently he served as commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet.
Flying the P-3C Orion, Buck's early at-sea operational tours were with the “Fighting Marlins” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 40; a disassociated sea tour aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) as the catapult and arresting gear division officer; and a department head tour with the “Tridents” of VP-26. He subsequently commanded VP-26 and Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11.
Buck's shore and staff assignments include Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1; Bureau of Naval Personnel; Joint Staff J3; Office of the Chief of Naval Operations staff as executive assistant to the deputy chief of Naval Operations (CNO) for Warfare Requirements and Programs (N6/N7); and as the deputy director for operations in the Strategy and Policy Directorate (J5), U.S. Joint Forces Command. Prior to major command, Buck completed an interim assignment with the National Reconnaissance Office; he is a member of the Navy's Space Cadre.
Buck also completed a special assignment as a senior fellow on the CNO's Strategic Studies Group in Newport, Rhode Island, an innovation think tank for the Navy. Buck became the 63rd superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy on July 26, 2019. He retired from the Navy on July 7, 2023, relinquishing his office to Rear Admiral Fred Kacher.[6][7]
VADM Buck was the subject of a Navy Inspector General (IG) investigation concerning statements he made while attempting to disenroll a midshipman from the Naval Academy and deny him a commission in the Navy. The IG concluded that VADM Buck made false statements concerning conversations he had with the midshipman, although none of these statements were false official statements.[9]
Ultimately, the targeted midshipman was reinstated and received his commission.[10]
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