Navy Rear Adm. Thomas A. Donovan Nominated for Promotion to Two-Star Rank
Donovan commands Special Reconnaissance and Enabling Command at U.S. Special Operations Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, according to war.gov.
Navy Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas A. Donovan was nominated for promotion to the grade of rear admiral, the Department of War announced.
The nomination advances Donovan from a one-star to a two-star flag officer rank. Donovan currently serves as commander of Special Reconnaissance and Enabling Command within U.S. Special Operations Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, according to war.gov. The command supports the Navy’s special warfare mission across the special operations enterprise.
The Department of War released the announcement as part of a batch of flag officer nominations dated July 16, 2026. Flag officer promotions require presidential nomination and Senate confirmation before an officer can pin on the higher rank. Until the Senate acts, the nomination remains pending and Donovan retains his current grade.
A rear admiral (lower half) wears one star and is the junior of the two flag officer grades at the O-7 pay level. A rear admiral wears two stars at the O-8 pay level. The promotion, if confirmed, moves Donovan into the higher tier of Navy leadership that oversees larger commands and shapes force planning.
MacDill Air Force Base houses two combatant commands, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, according to war.gov. Special Operations Command directs the training, equipping and readiness of special operations forces from all military branches. Donovan’s Special Reconnaissance and Enabling Command falls within that structure and supports intelligence, surveillance and mission-enabling functions for special operators.
The average reader rarely tracks individual flag officer nominations, yet these promotions determine who leads the forces responsible for the most sensitive military missions. A two-star officer at Special Operations Command influences decisions on manning, equipment and the deployment of elite units. The Senate confirmation process serves as the civilian check on that chain of command.
Has this happened before? Flag officer nominations move through the same statutory process every year. The Senate confirms hundreds of military nominations annually, and single-officer promotions like Donovan’s routinely clear the chamber without debate. Batch releases of flag officer announcements from the Department of War are a standard feature of the promotion calendar.
The Senate Armed Services Committee reviews the nomination next, followed by a confirmation vote on the Senate floor. A date for that vote has not been announced.
Navy flag ranks trace back to the American Civil War, when Congress created the rank of rear admiral in 1862 and awarded it first to David G. Farragut for his capture of New Orleans, according to britannica.com. Farragut later became the Navy’s first full admiral in 1866 after his fleet forced the surrender of Confederate defenses at Mobile Bay in August 1864. The rank he pioneered now anchors the two-star tier that Donovan has been nominated to join.