DESRON 14 Welcomes Commodore Reese

Reese is a native of Washington, D.C. He received his commission and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1982. He also holds a Master of Science degree from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I.

Additionally, he is a graduate of the Command and Staff College at the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College. His first sea tour was onboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as Reactor Mechanical Division officer. Subsequent sea assignments included tours as Fire Control Officer in USS Tattnall (DDG 19), Reactor training assistant in USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Operations Officer in USS Thorn (DD 988), and Executive Officer in USS Arkansas (CGN 41). Reese completed a tour as Commanding Officer, USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964) in February 2002 and led the ship to successful participation in Fifth Fleet Operations in the Arabian Gulf and earned the Battle ''E'' in recognition as the best ship in Destroyer Squadron Nine. He also served as Reactor Officer in USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom during a ten-month deployment.

His shore assignments include serving as ship-handling instructor and the Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island. He also completed a Pentagon tour as a Program Integrator for the Navy Theater Wide Program in the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. He most recently completed assignment as the Head, Surface Nuclear Programs and Placement at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, TN.

Reese is married to the former Kara-Ann McNulty of Newport, Rhode Island. They have three sons, Thomas, Dempsey, and Steven. Robertson assumed command of DESRON 14 in December 2004. Under his charge, DESRON 14 was able to meet every requirement pertinent to fleet readiness during his two years of service. Robertson's next assignment is in Washington, D.C. at the Pentagon. DESRON 14 can be traced back to November 1920, when it began as a reserve organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Squadron was decommissioned at the end of World War II and re-commissioned in October 1946 and homeported in Newport, Rhode Island. In June, 1959, the Squadron's homeport was changed to Mayport, Florida, becoming the first Destroyer Squadron ever homeported at this Naval Station. In July 2004, the Squadron's mission changed and the staff was restructured from a tactical deploying DESRON to a Training and Readiness Squadron and ISIC for 11 ships homeported in Mayport, FL. DESRON 14 supervises and coordinates the maintenance and unit level training of each ship providing surge ready assets to conduct independent and ESG-CSG deployments to SECONDFLT, THIRDFLT, FIFTHFLT and SIXTHFLT areas of responsibility in support of global naval presence, Counter-Narco terrorism and homeland defense. Following the commissioning of the USS Farragut (DDG 99), on June 10, 2006, DESRON 14's ISIC responsibilities increased to 12 ships, all homeported in Mayport. In addition to being the Navy's largest destroyer squadron, DESRON 14 provides medical, career counselor, legal, religious and equal opportunity services to 22 warships homeported in Mayport, Fla.