Vice Adm. Dee L. Mewbourne was raised in Ormond Beach, Florida. He graduated in 1982 from the United States Naval Academy and was designated a naval flight officer in December 1983. In 2000, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University. He is an honor graduate of the United States Naval Test Pilot School and completed the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program, Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), Joint Forces Staff College and numerous executive educational courses.

Mewbourne’s command assignments include: Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), USS Nashville (LPD 13), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3 and CSG-11, and Military Sealift Command.

At sea, Mewbourne completed sea assignments flying the A-6E Intruder aircraft in Attack Squadron (VA) 34 embarked on USS America (CV 66); VA-75 aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 aboard Eisenhower; and as the executive officer of VA-196 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). After transitioning to the EA-6B Prowler aircraft, he served as the executive officer of VAQ-139 aboard Lincoln. He also served as the executive officer in USS George Washington (CVN 73).

Ashore, Mewbourne served as a flight instructor in VA-42, the East Coast A-6E Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), and project officer at the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate. Later, he served as military assistant and trip coordinator for the secretary and deputy secretary of defense; chief of staff for Navy Cyber Forces; on the staff of Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic; and Director, Maritime Operations for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. He served as the 16^th Deputy Commander of U.S. Transportation Command from July 2019 to June 2022, which included the non-combatant evacuation operation from Afghanistan, the largest airlift evacuation in history.

Mewbourne has deployed supporting Operations El Dorado Canyon, Provide Comfort, Deny Flight, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom and the 2006 Lebanon War. He has accumulated over 3,600 total flight hours in over 50 various aircraft and over 1,000 arrested landings on 14 carrier decks.

Mewbourne retired from active duty on Aug. 1, 2022.

Mewbourne’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (seven awards), Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Air Medal with Combat “V”, Strike/Flight Air Medal (two awards) and various other personal and unit awards and campaign medals. While at the Naval Academy, he received the Carl Vinson Leadership Award. Upon completion of initial flight training in the A-6 E Intruder aircraft at VA-42 in 1985, he was selected as the Replacement Bombardier/Navigator of the Year. Two years later, he was selected as the East Coast A-6 community’s Junior Intruder of the Year. In August 2012, he was awarded the Truman Foundation Leadership Award for inspirational leadership.

Last Updated: 4 January 2023