The Navy on Friday unveiled a series of promotions and new assignments for flag officers, including a new undersea warfare requirements officer.
Rear Adm. Doug Perry, who has led Submarine Group Nine since January 2019, will head to the Pentagon as the new director of undersea warfare on the chief of naval operations’ staff (OPNAV N97). Perry was previously at U.S. Fleet Forces Command, where he was the joint and fleet operations director, according to his service bio.
The Pentagon last week disclosed that Rear Adm. William Houston, the current N97, is up for a promotion to vice admiral and to lead Naval Submarine Forces.
The service this week also tapped a new head of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Rear Adm. Ronald Copley, who has been the National Security Agency’s deputy director of operations, will serve as ONI’s new commander. He’ll also serve as the National Maritime Intelligence Integration Officer’s director.
Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, who has been the commander of Carrier Strike Group 9 since June 2020, will head to the Pentagon to lead the assessment division of the chief of naval operations’ staff (OPNAV N81).
Rear Adm. William Byrne Jr., who has been the vice director on the Pentagon’s Joint Staff, will head over to the chief of naval operations’ staff to serve as its warfare development director (N72). According to his service bio, Byrne has previously led Carrier Strike Group 15 and U.S. Naval Forces Korea.
Below is the Navy’s full flag officer announcement from April 30:
Rear Adm. William D. Byrne Jr. will be assigned as director, warfare development, N72, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Byrne is currently serving as vice director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. Ronald C. Copley will be assigned as director, National Maritime Intelligence Integration Office; and commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Copley is currently serving as deputy director of operations, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.
Rear Adm. Douglas G. Perry will be assigned as director, Undersea Warfare Division, N97, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Perry is currently serving as commander, Submarine Group Nine, Silverdale, Washington.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Christopher C. French, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as deputy judge advocate general of the Navy, Washington, D.C. French is currently serving as legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. (lower half) George M. Wikoff, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as vice director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Wikoff is currently serving as special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy, N3/N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Craig C. Clapperton will be assigned as commander, Combined Joint Task Force, Cyber, U.S. Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland. Clapperton is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Twelve, Norfolk, Virginia.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Douglas C. Verissimo will be assigned as director, Assessment Division, N81, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Verissimo is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine, San Diego, California.
Capt. Maria L. Aguayo, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, with additional duties as fleet civil engineer (N01CE), U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. Aguayo is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, D.C.
Capt. Erik J. Eslich, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. Eslich is currently serving as executive assistant, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.
Capt. Joseph B. Hornbuckle, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland. Hornbuckle is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland.
Capt. Christopher A. Kijek, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, operations and plans, N3, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Kijek is currently serving as executive assistant, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.
Capt. Stuart C. Satterwhite, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, My Navy Career Center, Millington, Tennessee. Satterwhite is currently serving as deputy director, enterprise support, Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel, Arlington, Virginia.
Capt. Ralph R. Smith III, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as vice director for intelligence, J-2, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Smith is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Tenth Fleet/U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.
