Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Andrea M. Ragusa

Cmdr. Andrea M. Ragusa is a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and graduated high school in Bryson City, North Carolina. From August of 1992 through July 1999 she served in the United States Army. She graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in March 2001 with a bachelor’s of science in Professional Aeronautics.  She was commissioned an Ensign in September of 2001 after completing Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida and was designated a naval aviator in March 2003.
 
Her operational assignments include two tours with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 14, one tour with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 in Norfolk, Virginia. She has over 1,700 hours, primarily in the MH-53E Sea Dragon.
 
Her shore assignments include tours with Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapon Systems Training School, Aide de Camp to the Chief of Staff to NATO's Supreme Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Virginia, and Navy Expeditionary Warfare (OPNAV 95) Arlington, Virginia. Ragusa received a master’s of Business Administration from Naval Postgraduate School in 2007, and attended Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island earning a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 2017. Ragusa reported to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 12 in November 2017 as a CAT III student.

Ragusa’s personal awards include the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5), Army Commendation Medal (2), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4), and numerous other unit campaign awards.