Navy Top Lawyer’s Abrupt Exit Sparks Mystery
Allegations of a hidden gun incident surface in the wake of Admiral Christopher French’s departure
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For Christopher C. French, the year 2024 was set to be the pinnacle of his long career in the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
A Villanova Law School graduate, French spent more than thirty years navigating the corridors of military power, providing legal counsel to the 7th Fleet in Japan, SEAL Team Six in Virginia, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the National Security Council, and advising two chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
By summer, his ascent seemed assured. Following Senate confirmation, he pinned on his third star and assumed the role of the Navy’s 46th Judge Advocate General in a ceremony steeped in tradition on September 5. The Navy’s top legal official—a position of immense authority—is appointed for a four-year term but typically serves three years, overseeing a global network of…