UNITED STATES NAVY

Commander Dan “Dozer” Dwyer is a native of Alameda, California and a 1988 graduate of the California Maritime Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and a Third Mates License in the Merchant Marine, and earned his commission through the United States Naval Reserve/Merchant Marine Reserve commissioning program. He received his coveted Wings of Gold in March 1992 in Meridian Mississippi and orders to fly the F/A-18C in Lemoore, California.

His at-sea and command tours include assignments with VFA-151 Vigilantes (Oct 93-96) assigned to CVW-2 aboard USS Constellation (CV-64) 1994/5 deployment, VFA-151 (Dec 98- Nov 01) assigned to CVW-2 aboard USS Constellation (CV-64) 1999 and 2001 deployments, and as Commanding Officer of VFA-27 “The Royal Maces” (Mar 04-Aug 07), Forward Deployed to NAF Atsugi Japan, flying the F-18E Super Hornet assigned to CVW-5 aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). During his command tour the Royal Maces were awarded the CNAF Battle “E”, McClusky Award for best attack squadron, CNO Safety “S”, CSFWP Bruce Carrier Award “Golden Wrench”, and Pac Fleet Golden Anchor Award for Superior Retention. Following his command tour, CDR Dwyer was selected for Command of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Kunar Province, Afghanistan. In March 2008, CDR Dwyer was selected for “Aviation Second Command in Grade” and will report as Commanding Officer of an F-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) in 2009.

His shore tours include, following graduation from TOPGUN Class 97-1, assignment as SFTI at Strike Fighter Weapons School Pacific (Dec 96-98). During this tour CDR Dwyer was selected as the Commander Strike Fighter Wing U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Wesley McDonald Junior Officer of the Year, subsequent shore tours as Hornet Air Combat Placement Officer (p433a) Naval Personnel Command Millington Tennessee (Nov 01-Jul 03), and US Naval War College Newport Rhode Island (Jul 03-Jun 04). CDR Dwyer holds a Master of Arts for Foreign Affairs and Strategic Studies and a Master of Science in Computer Information Science.

CDR Dwyer’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike/Flight Air Medal (3 awards), Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (4 awards), Battle E (3 awards), has accumulated over 3000 F-18 flight hours, and over 900 carrier arrested landings on 10 different aircraft carriers. CDR Dwyer is married to the former Christina Picinich from Alameda, California and they have three great children, Thomas, Kennedy and Rachel.