U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Senior Military Official for Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau
Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas
Commander, Joint Region Marianas
Commander, Task Force West
Rear Adm. Gregory C. Huffman is the son of a career naval officer and a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He earned a Master of Arts in History from the University of Maryland in 1989 and a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee in 2000.
His sea duty flying assignments include tours with VFA-83, Cecil Field, Florida, VFA-81, Oceana, Virginia, and command of VFA-27, Atsugi, Japan. He completed multiple deployments aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), and flew combat missions over Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Shore duty flying assignments include the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, developmental test pilot for F/A-18 electronic warfare systems and initial testing of the F/A-18E/F ‘Super Hornet’ in China Lake, California, and executive officer and instructor with VFA-122 in Lemoore, California.
Additional shore duty assignments include military aide to the President of the United States, chief of staff for Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic; head aviation Lieutenant Commander and Junior Officer detailer (PERS-432), Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee, and chief of staff for Commander, Navy Region Northwest, Bangor, Washington.
Following nuclear power training, he served as the final operational executive officer of USS Enterprise, completing her 25th and final deployment in 2012. He commanded USS Green Bay (LPD 20) from June 2013 until August 2014 and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) from February 2016 to August 2018.
As a Flag officer, Huffman served as Director of Operations and Plans (OPNAV N3) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. He commanded Carrier Strike Group Twelve, the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, from June 2021 until May 2023, leading the first deployment and operational certification of USS Gerald R. Ford.
He has logged over 2,900 flight hours in 28 different aircraft types and accumulated over 750 arrested landings.
Personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (six awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Strike/Flight Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards, one with Combat V), and various campaign, unit and service awards. He was named the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic F/A-18 Pilot of the Year for 1996 and won the Mike Longardt Leadership Award in 2001.
Last Updated: 20 June 2023