Rear Admiral David E. Ludwa is a native of Greenwood, SC, and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering.  He received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1995.  He holds a Master of Business Administration from University of Illinois Chicago and a Master of Arts from the Naval War College. He is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School.

Following Navy Supply Corps School, he served as the disbursing and sales officer and supply officer on USS Fahrion (FFG 22) taking the ship through decommission. He then completed a shore tour at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL, as the food service officer and briefly as the deputy assistant chief of staff for Training Operations before transitioning to the Navy Reserve in 2000.

In the Navy Reserve (NR), Ludwa’s command tours include Fourth Naval Expeditionary Logistics Regiment; NR Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk; NR Naval Air Forces 1086; Navy Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 7; and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy Fuels Management Team.  He also served on Naval Inventory Control Point Team 3; NCHB 13; Navy Expeditionary Logistics Response Center; Navy Air Cargo Handling Battalion 1; DLA Joint Reserve Force (J-9); NR Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, N4L, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; NR Logistics Readiness Center, N4, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Group.

Ludwa completed mobilizations as Air Cargo Detachment Officer in Charge (OIC) to Commander, Task Force 53 in Bahrain in 2003; deputy operations officer, NAVELSG, Williamsburg; staff officer, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Norfolk; Logistics Task Force 3 OIC, Bagram, Afghanistan; and deputy commander, Aviation, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia.

Ludwa is a qualified Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer, Naval Expeditionary Supply Corps Officer and Naval Aviation Supply Corps Officer.  His awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (four awards), and various unit awards. 

In his civilian career, he works as a defense consultant supporting the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics (OPNAV N4L), Washington, D.C.

Last Updated: 10 January 2024