Executive Officer
Cmdr. Emily T. Wallis
Cmdr. Wallis is a native of Arlington, Virginia. She was commissioned from Naval ROTC at Pennsylvania State University on May 14, 2010, earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. She then reported to flight school in Pensacola, Florida, in Sep 2010. She earned her “Wings of Gold” as a naval aviator in May 2012 and reported to Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapons System Training School (AWSTS) in Norfolk, Virginia, for initial MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter training.
After completing AWSTS, Wallis reported to the “Vanguard” of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 14, where she completed two U.S. 5th Fleet deployments with Commander, Task Force (CTF) 52 in Manama, Bahrain, and a deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet in Pohang, Korea, working for the Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMRON) 7 in Sasebo, Japan.
On these detachments, the squadrons expressed a show of force over contested international waterways, by projecting their ability to perform Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) operations. While assigned to HM-14, her duties included MCMRON Detachment 2A Assistant Officer-in-Charge (AOIC), Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 AOIC, and Quality Assurance Officer. She later returned to the Vanguard in July of 2021, for her Aviation Department Head Tour, where she served as the last HM-14 Detachment 2A OIC and Executive Officer before the squadron’s disestablishment in July 2023.
Ashore, she took an assignment with the “Merlins” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3. There, she served as an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter Flight Instructor, MH-60S AMCM Instructor, and the AMCM Syllabus Officer. Following her time as an instructor, she was accepted into the 2020 Navy Legislative Fellow Class and assigned to the office of Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06), where she worked on the Defense Appropriations Portfolio for the Puget Sound Defense priorities. She then continued the goal of improving the Navy’s communication with Congress at the Navy’s Appropriations Matters Office until April 2021. In 2023, Wallis returned to Washington, D.C., to serve as an executive assistant to the Joint Staff Director of the Force Structure, Resources, and Assessments Directorate (J8).
Wallis now serves as the Executive Officer of HM-15 as of September 2025.
Wallis’ decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), the Navy Achievement medal (two awards) and various unit and campaign decorations. She has accumulated over 1,400 flight hours.