Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Brandon Rodgers
Cmdr. Brandon Rodgers, native of Hudsonville, Michigan, reported to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois, in August 2001. He graduated as an honor recruit and excelled in Gunner's Mate "A" School, finishing at the top of his class. He then served aboard USS Briscoe (DD 977) and USS Ramage (DDG 61) as a Vertical Launching Systems (VLS) technician, armorer, and crew-served weapons team leader. During this time, he supported the "Shock and Awe" campaign and conducted escorts in U.S. 5th Fleet.
Rodgers applied for the Seaman to Admiral (STA-21) program and earned his bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in mathematics and military leadership from Old Dominion University while serving as an officer candidate in the Navy ROTC unit. After graduation, he completed flight school and began his operational flying career in September 2011 with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143. He served in various roles, including Coffee Mess, Public Affairs, Line Division, and Quality Assurance Officer. He deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and then attended Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (TOPGUN), where he received the Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic Speicher Award.
Upon completing TOPGUN, Rodgers joined Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic, where he served as a subject matter expert in defensive countermeasures, surface-to-air threats and counter-tactics, and as the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program Director. He then transferred to VFA-87 in February 2017, where he served as the Training Officer in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. During his second year, he was named the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 and VFA-87 "Pilot of the Year."
Rodgers later served as the Administration, Maintenance, and Operations Department Head at VFA-27 in Iwakuni, Japan, supporting operations in the Indo-Pacific over two deployments, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May 2021, he was assigned to Navy Personnel Command, where he served as the East Coast and Japan F/A-18 Placement Officer and Assistant O-6 Assignments Officer. There, he managed major command training pipeline requirements and supported the O-5 command, Department Head, Naval Flight Officer-to-Pilot, and warfare transition screen boards. He also earned a master’s degree in Joint Air Operations from the U.S. Air Force Command and Staff College.
Rodgers reported to VFA-87 as executive officer in August 2024. On November 2025, he assumed the role of Commanding Officer of VFA-87.
He has accumulated over 2,900 flight hours.