Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Wednesday that the president nominated these active-duty captains for their first star.
Annie Andrews, strategic studies group fellow, Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, Newport, R.I.
Richard Butler, chief of staff, Naval Air Forces/Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego.
Matthew Carter, executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Lawrence Creevy, executive assistant to the commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington.
Mark Darrah, major project manager for F/A 18 and EA-18G programs, Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft, Patuxent River, Md.
Christopher Grady, executive assistant to the chief of naval operations, Washington.
Robert Hoppa, deputy chief of staff for intelligence, N2/N39, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.
Michael Jabaley Jr., major program manager for Virginia class programs, Program Executive Office for Submarines, Washington.
Cindy Jaynes, major program manager for Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Programs, PMA 213, Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs, Lexington Park, Md.
Colin Kilrain, director, combating terrorism, National Security Council, Washington.
David Kriete, chief of staff, U.S. Strategic Command Special Activities Atlantic, Norfolk.
Joseph Kuzmick, special assistant to the commander, Navy Region Northwest, Silverdale, Wash.
William McQuilkin, deputy director, Strategy and Policy Division, N512, Office to the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington.
Victorino Mercado, military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Washington.
DeWolfe Miller, special assistant to the commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk.
Stuart Munsch, branch head, Strategy and Policy Division, N513, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Kenneth Perry, executive assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, Vaihingen, Germany.
Fernandez Ponds, deputy director, Navy Special Projects, N3/N5NSP, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
John Scorby Jr., executive assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and environment, Washington.
Dwight Shepherd, senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy.
Michael Smith, executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.
Richard Snyder, deputy director for partnership strategy, J5, Joint Staff, Washington.
Scott Stearney, chief of staff, Strike Force Training Atlantic, Norfolk.
Hugh Wetherald, deputy and chief of staff for plans, policies, and requirements, N5/N8, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Mark Whitney, commander, Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Wash.
Hopefully, they are all on staff duty having just come from a command tour. It is rather strange that there were no current CO's on the list though. I suppose being near/in the halls of power has its benefits. Do you know any of them, Jim?
I know several, Jerry. And yes, some have recently completed afloat tours of duty. We were all hoping Captain Dee L. Mewbourne would be selected. He is the guy who relieved the fired CO of USS Enterprise (CAPT Honors) after the raunchy video debacle. Dee had recently returned from deployment as CO of another carrier and had to turn around and deploy immediately as the new CO of Enterprise. They are currently at sea. Might be a sign of the times with all of the recent CO and Senior Enlisted misdeeds in Navy.
