0 0 6 . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁then ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Mac Donald ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁appointment ▁to ▁the ▁grade ▁of ▁vice ▁adm iral ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁Navy ' s ▁Judge ▁Adv oc ate ▁General . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Senate ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁grade ▁on ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁J AG ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁three - star ▁flag ▁officer . ▁ ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Mac Donald ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Cross ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁in ▁English , ▁and ▁entered ▁the ▁Navy ▁in ▁May ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁V AD M ▁Mac Donald ▁was ▁commission ed ▁an ▁en sign ▁in ▁the ▁un rest rict ed ▁line ▁through ▁the ▁Naval ▁Reserve ▁Officer ▁Training ▁Corps . ▁Following ▁the ▁normal ▁Sur face ▁War fare ▁pipeline , ▁he ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁USS ▁He p burn ▁( FF ▁ 1 0 5 5 ) ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Main ▁Prop ulsion ▁Ass istant ▁and ▁N avigator . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁two - year ▁tour ▁at ▁Fle et ▁Com bat ▁Training ▁Center , ▁Pacific ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Inter mediate ▁Com bat ▁Systems ▁Team ▁Training ▁and ▁Advanced ▁Multi - Th re at ▁Team ▁Training ▁course ▁director , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁Law ▁Education ▁Program ▁in ▁ 1