Shea Takes Helm Of Gettysburg

Shea of Youngstown, Ohio is a 1987 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Shea's service at sea includes tours aboard destroyers and cruisers. He served in the Engineering and Operations Departments in USS Fife (DD 991), the Combat System Department in USS Hue City (CG 66) and as Operations Officer in USS Shiloh (CG 67). He served as executive officer in USS Ramage (DDG 61) and served as the Flag Secretary to the Commander of Second Fleet and STRIKING Fleet Atlantic homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Gettysburg is Shea's second commanding officer tour as he previously commanded USS Carney (DDG 64) based in Mayport from 2005-2007.

Shea is a 2000 graduate of the University of Rhode Island and a 2001 Graduate of the Naval War College, holding Master's degrees in Business Administration and National Security Affairs. His shore assignment includes Instructor, Department Head Curriculum, Surface Warfare Officers School Command (SWOS) in Newport, Rhode Island. He also served as the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Resources, Requirements and Assessments) in the OPNAV Staff.

Shea's most recent assignment will be to the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C.

Brown of Lowell, Massachusetts, assumed command of Gettysburg in November 2007. A 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Brown's service at sea includes tours as Navigator and Damage Control Assistant in USS Charles F. Adams (DDG 2); Flag Lieutenant for Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group 12; Operations Officer in USS O'Bannon (DD 987); Operations Officer in USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55); Executive Officer in USS Mahan (DDG 72); and Commanding Officer, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68).

Brown served as Flag Secretary for the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic/Commander in Chief, United States Joint Forces Command from February 2000 to July 2002. Prior to commanding Gettysburg, Brown was Branch Head for Surface Commander and Lieutenant Commander Assignments, Navy Personnel Command, PERS 410.

Brown holds a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the Naval Post Graduate School and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

Brown led Gettysburg from the Fall of 2007, meeting the ship on deployment, through the current SRA period. During his tenure the ship traveled around the world completing an Arabian Gulf deployment in 2007, a BALTOPS deployment in the summer of 2008 and most recently an international counter piracy deployment in the Gulf of Aden in 2009. While he commanded Gettysburg the ship was highly decorated winning the Old Crow's award, Battle E (2), and the Arizona Memorial trophy.