Executive Officer
Cmdr. Michael Lanzillo

Cmdr. Michael “Rizzo” Lanzillo is a native of Norwood, Massachusetts.  He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a minor in Spanish.  He was commissioned in May 2003 with orders to flight school in Pensacola, Florida, where he received his naval aviator wings of gold in October 2005.
 
His operational assignments include two tours at Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 14, where on his first tour he served as communications officer, NATOPS Officer, and quality assurance officer while deploying multiple times to various theaters around the world, including CENTCOM, PACOM, and SOUTHCOM.  His second tour at HM-14 was as a department head, serving as aircraft maintenance officer for 15 months, and as OIC for the forward deployed, three-aircraft detachment based in Pohang, South Korea. His other operational fleet assignment was onboard USS Bataan (LHD-5), where he served in the air department as flight deck handler and mini boss, earning his shipboard Officer of the Deck qualification during various underway periods in support of east coast Marine Expeditionary Unit requirements.  
 
Lanzillo’s shore assignments include an FRS flight instructor tour at Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapon Systems Training School (AWSTS) in Norfolk, Virginia, fulfilling the role of CNAL NATOPS evaluator and earning his Sea Dragon Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) qualification, as well as a tour in Millington, Tennessee at Navy Personnel Command where he served as the Rotary Wing Shore Detailer in PERS-43. 
 
Lanzillo has amassed over 2,000 flight hours primarily in the mighty MH-53E Sea Dragon, and earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Naval Postgraduate School.
 
CDR Lanzillo’s personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal (4), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) and various other unit awards.