Church entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1965 , graduating 4 years later with orders to his first ship , . While serving on his second ship , USS O’Callahan ( DE-1051 ) he was routinely on the “ gun-line ” , providing gunfire support to troops in Vietnam . During the course of his 36-year career he commanded two warships ( a Minesweeper and Frigate ) and the Navy 's largest Naval Station , Naval Station Norfolk . Selected for Rear Admiral in 1998 , his assignments as a Flag Officer included the staff of the Commander , U.S Pacific Fleet , the Director of Financial Management and Budget ( Budget Director ) for the Navy and Marine Corps , the Naval Inspector General , and completing his career as the Director of the Navy Staff . Church served 4 and ½ years as the Budget Director , the longest tenure in the position 's history . Church 's office and his staff were in the newest section of the Pentagon that was destroyed during the September 11 attacks , but all escaped safely from their 4th floor offices before the wedge collapsed 20 minutes after airplane impact
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Albert T. Church