Commander Kevin R. Wesley

Commander Kevin R. Wesley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. He reported to Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida to begin flight training as a Naval Flight Officer. He was winged in February 1991 and reported to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington to begin training in the world's premiere electronic attack aircraft-the EA-6B Prowler.

As a junior officer, he made several deployments aboard USS John F. Kennedy and USS Theodore Roosevelt. During these deployments, he flew multiple missions in support of various operations: Operation PROVIDE COMFORT over Bosnia-Herzegovina, and combat missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operations DENY FLIGHT, DELIBERATE FORCE, and DEAD EYE and combat missions over Iraq in support of Operations NORTHERN and SOUTHERN WATCH. He also served on the staff of Commander, Electronic Attack Wing, Pacific as the Training Officer and Assistant Operations Officer.

CDR Wesley graduated with distinction from the Naval Postgraduate School in December 1999 with a Masters degree in National Security Affairs and was awarded the Naval Institute Press award for his thesis. He served two "disassociated" tours aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln: the first tour as a Tactical Action Officer (TAO), and the second tour as the Combat Direction Center Officer (CDCO). He completed a successful Department Head tour with VAQ-142, deploying to Incirlik, Turkey and Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), Saudi Arabia in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

From October 2003 to November 2006, CDR Wesley was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Vaihingen, Germany. He was assigned to the Nuclear Command and Control division where he qualified as a Non-strategic Nuclear Force advisor (NSNF) to Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR), essential for the employment of nuclear weapons from the European theater. Additionally, he was the Team Chief for the European Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) mission, and he also served as the Executive Assistant (EA) to the J3 (Operations Director) for EUCOM.

In May 2009, CDR Wesley returned from Iraq after serving as the Executive Officer of Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, where he was assigned to I and II Marine Expeditionary Force. He led the "Iraqi First" initiative, requiring multiple missions "outside the wire," working closely with U.S. State Department officials, Provincial Reconstruction Teams, and Government of Iraq officials. He was fully engaged in all aspects of the Phase IV combat mission, flying with Marine and Navy EA-6B squadrons and participating in Security Patrols with the 2/25th and 1/8th Security Platoons, USMC. He earned his Fleet Marine Force (FMF) qualification while conducting embedded operations with USMC units.

He reported as the Executive Officer, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, University of Nebraska, in June 2009. His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star), Strike Flight Air Medal (5), and two combat "V" devices.