After graduating from the
United States Naval Academy in 1959, Mauz went on to serve in Vietnam, operating
river patrol boats along the
Mekong Delta. He went on to command a minesweeper, , , the guided missile destroyer , and the guided missile cruiser (1980–1982). Mauz served as commander of the
United States Seventh Fleet from 1988 to 1990, and in August 1990 assumed command of all United States Naval forces in the
Persian Gulf. Mauz retired from active duty in 1994 as Commander-in-Chief,
United States Atlantic Fleet. A 1965 graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, he was President of the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, and currently serves on its board. Mauz's education includes the Naval Academy,
Naval War College, a graduate degree in electrical engineering from the
Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Business Administration from
Auburn University. ==Awards and honors==