CAPT JOHN W. PETERSON

Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Command

John W. Peterson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and was reared along the Atlantic seaboard. Second generation Navy, he joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at the University of Illinois where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. Upon graduation in January 1980 he was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy.

Following professional schools, his division officer tours were in the tank landing ship BRISTOL COUNTY (LST 1198) where he served as a Deck Division Officer, Combat Information Center Officer, and Navigator, and in the guided missile cruiser ENGLAND (CG 22) where he was the Communications Officer. As a department head he served as Combat Systems Officer in the guided missile frigate GARY (FFG 51), serving in Operations Earnest Will and Praying Mantis, and later as Combat Systems Officer in the guided missile destroyer CALLAGHAN (DDG 994). Subsequently he commanded the patrol combatant missile (hydrofoil) HERCULES (PHM 2) and later the guided missile destroyer HOPPER (DDG 70), where he twice deployed to the Arabian Gulf, serving in Operations Southern Watch and Desert Fox. He was Commodore, Destroyer Squadron Fifty (COMDESRON FIFTY) and the Middle East Force (Commander, Task Force FIVE FIVE), where he commanded a broad variety of Coalition Naval Forces throughout the Central Command Region in the final lead-up to and opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Ashore, after his seagoing division officer tours, he served as a Weapons and Navigation Instructor and Freshman Class Advisor at the NROTC Unit at Northwestern University. Following his 1st command at sea he headed the Surface Lieutenant Commander Assignment Branch at the Navy's Personnel Bureau. Prior to assuming his commander command, he was the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Operations (Combating Terrorism) on the Joint Staff (JCS) in Washington D.C. Following his 2nd command at sea, he was assigned to the OPNAV Staff, Director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13), as the Surface Warfare Officer Community Manager. Following command of DESRON FIFTY, he served as Military Assistant to the Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority’s D.C. Representative. Post-CPA, he again served on the OPNAV Staff, this time as the Branch Head for the Seabasing Naval Capabilities Development Pillar. Returning to the Middle East he served as Chief of Staff for the U. S. FIFTH Fleet / Combined Force Maritime Component Command / Naval Forces Component Command (U. S. Central Command). Returning to Washington, prior to RTC he served as Deputy to the Total Force Requirements Division (OPNAV N12).

In 1996 he earned a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, at the National Defense University.

Captain Peterson's decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, four Legions of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, five Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Maritime Commander Australia Commendation, as well as various campaign and service decorations. He has been made an honorary Officer in the Order of the British Empire (OBE).