He was commissioned as an ensign in February 1976 through the Officer Candidate School Program in Newport, RI.

He attended the Naval Postgraduate School, receiving a Master of Science in Telecommunications Systems Management in March 1988.

As commanding officer of USS Crommelin (FFG 37) from August 1993 to May 1995, deployed as part of the Kitty Hawk Battle Group in support of Korean Contingency Operations.

Shore assignments include: assistant professor NROTC Unit, Ohio State University; Communications Systems officer for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems Directorate (J6), Joint Staff; executive assistant to director Surface Warfare (N86); executive assistant to deputy chief of staff of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements and Assessments (N8), and executive assistant to Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

This article incorporates public domain material from Vice Admiral Richard W. Hunt - Director, Navy Staff.