Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Graham C. Gill
Cmdr. Graham Gill hails from Medford, New Jersey, where he accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy and was commissioned in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering. After completing flight school in Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas, and earning his “Wings of Gold” as a pilot in 2007, he selected the P-3C Orion and reported to the “Pro’s Nest” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 30.
In March 2008, he joined the “The World Famous Golden Eagles” of VP-9 for his first operational tour in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. While aboard, he completed deployments to U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet. He qualified as an instructor pilot and mission commander and served as power plants branch officer, assistant administrative officer, and pilot training officer.
Gill then reported back to the “Pro’s Nest” of VP-30 as a fleet replacement squadron instructor pilot. He was hand selected to join the first group of instructor pilots to transition to P-8A, then assisted in the training of the first four squadrons to transition. He led the instructor pilot cadre as instructor-under-training and standardization officer.
Graham completed the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course in August of 2014, and was selected as the first squadron maritime tactics instructor (SMTI) and training officer for the “Fighting Tigers” of VP-8. Following his tour at VP-8, he reported to the “Tridents” of VP-26, where he served as the safety/NATOPS officer, training department head and operations officer. He completed multiple P-8A deployments to the U.S. 6th and 7th Fleets.
Most recently, Gill attended to the Naval War College in 2019-2020 where he earned a Master of Arts in Strategy and Securities Studies with a sub-specialty of advanced research and war-gaming concentrated in 7th Fleet. In May 2023, he assumed command of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Weapons School.
His personal awards include the Air Medal (first strike/flight) (3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and various other personal decorations.