Cmdr. Ronald A. McNeal III
Executive Officer, USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81)
12 October 2023
Commander Ron McNeal III was raised in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from Florida State University in 2007 with a B.S. in International Affairs. He earned his commission via Officer Candidate School in 2008.
At Sea, CDR McNeal served as a PLANKOWNER in USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8) as SSES Division Officer and Assistant Training Officer. His second Division Officer tour was as Fire Control Officer in USS ROOSEVELT (DDG 80) deploying to FIFTH and SIXTH Fleets in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He completed his first Department Head tour in USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG 57) as her first Plans and Tactics Officer deploying to SEVENTH Fleet with the USS CARL VINSON STRIKE GROUP. His second Department Head tour was as Operations Officer (N3) in DESTROYER SQUADRON FIFTY in Manama, Bahrain. He also served as a Future Operations Surface Warfare Planner on the staff of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. FIFTH Fleet.
Ashore, CDR McNeal served as course lead and curriculum developer for the Advanced Division Officer Course (ADOC) at SURFACE WARFARE OFFICERS SCHOOL COMMAND in Newport, Rhode Island. Most recently, he served as an action officer at OPNAV N72 Future Strategy and Strategic Concepts in Washington, DC.
CDR McNeal earned his Master of Science in Global Affairs at New York University in 2015. He is married to Vierka Vasquez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. CDR McNeal’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3), and various unit and campaign awards.