Keywords: US Navy 050722-N-0962S-012 Secretary of the Navy Gordon England awards Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Vern Clark with his third Distinguished Service Medal before his retirement.jpg en Annapolis Md July 22 2005 Secretary of the Navy Gordon England awards Chief of Naval Operations CNO Adm Vern Clark with his third Distinguished Service Medal before his retirement Adm Mike Mullen relieved Adm Vern Clark as CNO during a late-morning ceremony at the U S Naval Academy Clark's tenure as CNO began July 21 2000 making it the longest term served by any CNO since Adm Arleigh Burke resigned in 1961 Mullen last served as Commander Joint Forces Command Naples and had operational responsibility for NATO missions in the Balkans Iraq and the Mediterranean U S Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Brandan W Schulze RELEASED 2005-07-22 050722-N-0962S-012 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 26468 U S Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Brandan W Schulze PD-USGov-Military-Navy Vern Clark Michael G Mullen in 2005 Gordon R England 2005 Chief of Naval Operations change of command ceremony |