Rear Adm. Dave Pollard is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and was commissioned in 1996 from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Systems Engineering. A graduate of U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and Navy Nuclear Power School, he holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Regent University School of Global Leadership.

Operationally, he commanded USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), and Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, forward deployed in Atsugi, Japan. Other sea duty assignments include VFA-34, VFA-136, VFA-192, and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), where he served as executive officer. While in command, his Sailors twice earned the Navy’s Battle “E.”

Ashore, he served as a Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor at Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic, at U.S. Joint Forces Command, as a project lead at the Joint Staff, as the TACAIR Naval Financial Analyst/Programmer for the President’s Budget in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and most recently as Chief of Staff, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Pollard is the 72nd President of the Board of Inspection and Survey and is responsible for assessing the material readiness of the Fleet.

His awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medals, among other personal and unit awards. He has accumulated more than 3,500 hours in the F/A-18C/E and 1,082 carrier arrested landings.

Last Updated: 10 April 2025