Capt. Michael P. Desmond
Commanding Officer, USS Vella Gulf (CG 72)
23 November 2020
Captain Mike Desmond is a native of Sharon Springs, New York and enlisted in the Navy in 1994. He was an Electronics Technician specializing in shipboard meteorological systems. His initial sea tour was in USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), during which he attained the rate of ET2 (Surface Warfare) before being selected to attend Officer Candidate School.
CAPT Desmond’s first Division Officer tour was as Gunnery Officer in USS Monterey (CG 61). Subsequent operational assignments include duty in USS George Washington (CVN 73) as Electrical Division Officer and in USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer. Manning shortfalls led him to fill the two Department Head billets concurrently for eight months and Bulkeley earned a Battle “E”, a Unit Tactics Award and the Arizona Memorial Trophy.
Ashore, he instructed at the Damage Control Assistant School, qualifying as a Master Training Specialist, and worked on the OPNAV N51 team from 2008 until 2011. While at the Pentagon, he completed a voluntary 13-month Individual Augmentation tour as a Multi-National Forces-Iraq J33 Liaison Officer in the Ministry of Defense Joint Headquarters. CAPT Desmond was next assigned to the J53 Southern Africa Regional Engagement Branch at the U.S. Africa Command based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Captain Desmond also served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer (CO) of the Littoral Combat Ship Crew 103 “Rough Riders” from 2014 to 2017, sailing aboard USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in 7th Fleet during the ship’s maiden deployment and delivering USS Detroit (LCS 7) to the Navy as commissioning CO. He was then Carrier Strike Group TEN’s N3A and N3 during a three-year tour that featured a 5th Fleet deployment embarked in USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and record-setting 200+ consecutive days at sea. CAPT Desmond reported as CO of USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) in July 2020.
CAPT Desmond holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Plattsburgh State University and a master’s degree in Diplomacy and Military Science (cum laude) from Norwich University. He is authorized to wear the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and other individual, unit and campaign decorations.
Captain Mike Desmond is a native of Sharon Springs, New York and enlisted in the Navy in 1994. He was an Electronics Technician specializing in shipboard meteorological systems. His initial sea tour was in USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), during which he attained the rate of ET2 (Surface Warfare) before being selected to attend Officer Candidate School.
CAPT Desmond’s first Division Officer tour was as Gunnery Officer in USS Monterey (CG 61). Subsequent operational assignments include duty in USS George Washington (CVN 73) as Electrical Division Officer and in USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer. Manning shortfalls led him to fill the two Department Head billets concurrently for eight months and Bulkeley earned a Battle “E”, a Unit Tactics Award and the Arizona Memorial Trophy.
Ashore, he instructed at the Damage Control Assistant School, qualifying as a Master Training Specialist, and worked on the OPNAV N51 team from 2008 until 2011. While at the Pentagon, he completed a voluntary 13-month Individual Augmentation tour as a Multi-National Forces-Iraq J33 Liaison Officer in the Ministry of Defense Joint Headquarters. CAPT Desmond was next assigned to the J53 Southern Africa Regional Engagement Branch at the U.S. Africa Command based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Captain Desmond also served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer (CO) of the Littoral Combat Ship Crew 103 “Rough Riders” from 2014 to 2017, sailing aboard USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in 7th Fleet during the ship’s maiden deployment and delivering USS Detroit (LCS 7) to the Navy as commissioning CO. He was then Carrier Strike Group TEN’s N3A and N3 during a three-year tour that featured a 5th Fleet deployment embarked in USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and record-setting 200+ consecutive days at sea. CAPT Desmond reported as CO of USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) in July 2020.
CAPT Desmond holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Plattsburgh State University and a master’s degree in Diplomacy and Military Science (cum laude) from Norwich University. He is authorized to wear the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and other individual, unit and campaign decorations.