Commanding Officer
Anthony Ferrari Captain, United States Navy
Captain Anthony Ferrari is the 37th Commanding Officer of the Naval Research Laboratory, assuming command on August 30, 2012. As NRL's Commanding Officer, he directs the activities of more than 2,500 scientists, engineers, and support personnel in their mission to conduct leading-edge research and provide new technological capabilities to the Navy and Marine Corps. Prior to his assumption of command of NRL, he screened for major command and then served as the Deputy Director and Director of PMR-51, the Navy's Low Observable/Counter Low Observable Technology, Policy and Advanced project office at the Office of Naval Research from December 2008 through August 2012.
Captain Ferrari is a native of Queens, New York, and was raised in the New York/New Jersey area. Upon graduation from Delran High School in 1982, he joined the Navy and attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1983, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1987 with a B.S. degree in oceanography and physics.
Upon commissioning, he attended undergraduate flight training and was winged as a Naval Flight Officer in 1988. His next set of orders sent him to Whidbey Island, Washington, and Fleet Replacement Squadron 128 (VA-128), where he completed Bombardier/Navigator training in 1990 and joined the "Milestones" of VA-196. During his tour with VA-196, he accumulated over 1,000 hours in the A-6 Intruder and flew missions in support of Operation Desert Shield.
In 1993, he was selected for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and graduated in the summer of 1994 with class 105. As a Flight Test Officer, he was assigned to VX-23 in Patuxent River, Maryland and worked on various test projects supporting Carrier Aviation and Weapons testing. When the A-6 Intruder was faithfully retired, he transitioned to the F-14 community and served on the staff of CVW-17 as the Air Wing Strike Operations Officer, completing two Mediterranean deployments from 1997 to 1999. Following a brief training syllabus at VF-101, he reported to the "World Famous Pukin' Dogs" (VF-143) and served as the Safety and Operations Officer.
Upon completion of his department head tour, he was then assigned as the Officer-in-Charge and Chief Operational Test Director of the VX-9 detachment, Point Mugu, California. This tour was followed by a second tour in Patuxent River, joining Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as the PMA-241 class desk officer, and principal deputy Program Manager. During this tour, he transitioned to the Aviation Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO) community, was selected as an Acquisition Professional (AP), and received an M.S. degree in systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
After leaving NAVAIR, he was assigned as the Naval Aviation Depot Requirements Officer, Fleet Readiness Division (OPNAV N43) in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. This was followed by a tour with the Naval Personnel Command as the Head Detailer for the Aerospace Engineering and Maintenance Communities.
Captain Ferrari has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), in addition to numerous campaign and unit awards.
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