CDR Cameron Jackson Burnette
Executive Officer, USS Porter (DDG 78)
25 August 2021
A native of Cleveland, Tennessee, CDR Cameron Jackson Burnette enlisted in the Navy in 1997. Later he was picked up for the Seaman-to-Admiral program and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science prior to commissioning in the U.S. Navy in 2005. He also holds a Master of Business Administration in Aerospace and Defense from the University of Tennessee.
Operationally, Burnette completed Naval Nuclear Power School before he reported to the fleet and served aboard the USS San Juan (SSN 751) and the USS Jimmy Carter (PCU 23).
Burnette completed his first division officer tour aboard the destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) as the communications officer, deploying to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Commander Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, and to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two supporting Operation Active Endeavor, deploying to Haditha, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon completion of department head School he was stationed in Spain on the USS Ross (DDG 71) as the weapons officer and fleeted up to become the Combat Systems Officer. His first deployment on Ross was the ship’s maiden ballistic missile defense (BMD) patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and participated in three more subsequent patrols.
CDR Burnette has served as the Executive Officer onboard USS Porter (DDG 78) since DEC 2022. Prior to Porter he served as Commanding Officer from June of 2018 to April of 2020 onboard USS Sentry (MCM 3) after completing his Executive officer tour onboard USS Sentry.
Ashore, Burnette served as an action officer for Task Force Energy in OPNAV N43 before being selected to become an admiral’s aide for OPNAV N43. He then served an IA in Baghdad, Iraq, working for USF-I J5 in the Strategy Division supporting Operation New Dawn. Upon returning to OPNAV, he then was selected to be the aide for OPNAV N4. Upon Completion of Command of USS Sentry he reported to OPNAV N9I.
Burnette’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with one Gold Star)Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with three Gold Stars), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with 3 Gold Stars), Good Conduct Medal (with one Bronze Star) as well as multiple unit and service awards.