Mercury Computer Systems (www.mc.com)  has announced that Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Jr., the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s second highest ranking military officer, was elected to the Board of Directors of Mercury Federal Systems, Inc. (MFS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.

“We are honored to have a career military professional of such distinction join the MFS Board of Directors,” said Mark Aslett, President and CEO of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. “Admiral Giambastiani is a proven leader with decades of experience in national defense and technology innovation. His insights and firsthand experience will bring an important new dimension to MFS and its board.”

Prior to his retirement, Admiral Giambastiani served as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s second highest ranking military officer. In this capacity, he chaired the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, co-chaired the Defense Acquisition Board and the Deputies Advisory Working Group, and served as a member of the National Security Council Deputies Committee, the Nuclear Weapons Council, and the Missile Defense Executive Board. His numerous command positions included service as NATO’s first Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and Commander of the United States Joint Forces Command.

A career nuclear submarine officer, Adm. Giambastiani has been responsible for both demanding at-sea operations and the development of new technologies and experimental processes. He commanded Submarine NR-1, the Navy's only nuclear powered deep diving ocean engineering and research submarine, USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687), and Submarine Development Squadron 12, the oldest experimental unit of its kind in the U.S. military. Additionally, he served as Commander, Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force; Commander, Submarines Allied Command Atlantic; and Commander, Anti-Submarine and Reconnaissance Forces Atlantic. Adm. Giambastiani excelled in numerous other shore and staff assignments with the U.S. Navy, the CIA, the Department of Defense and NATO. A native of Canastota, N.Y., he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.