Yvette M. Davids

Rear Admiral Yvette M. Davids is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She is a surface warfare officer and a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography. She is also a 2002 graduate of the Naval War College with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies and a 2012 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces with a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy. Rear Admiral Davids reported to U. S. Southern Command in June 2020 and currently serves as the Chief of Staff.

Her sea assignments include electrical officer, combat information center officer, and communications officer aboard USS San Jose (AFS 7) deploying in support of Desert Shield/Storm; operations officer aboard USS David R. Ray (DD 971); operations officer aboard USS Normandy (CG 60); executive officer aboard USS Higgins (DDG 76) during the initial combat operations of Iraqi Freedom; and later executive officer aboard USS Benfold (DDG 65).

Davids commanded both USS Curts (FFG 38) deploying to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) serving as air defense commander for the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group. Her most recent assignment was as Commander, Nimitz Strike Group / Carrier Strike Group 11.

Ashore, she served as aide to the deputy and chief of staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet; as a joint exercise communications planner at the Joint Training and Analysis Center, Joint Forces Command (J6); deputy executive assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for Information, Plans, and Strategy (OPNAV N3/N5); director, Naval Academy Sailing, U.S. Naval Academy; executive assistant to the executive director of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Command; and assistant chief of staff for Requirements, Experimentation, and Innovation (N8/N9) for the commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet. Her first flag assignment was with the U.S. Department of State as the senior military advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.

Her decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Joint Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), as well as various campaign and unit awards. She is the 2008 recipient of the MANA National Latina Organization’s “Las Primeras” award as the first Hispanic female to command a warship in the U.S. Navy.

Education

• 1989, Bachelor of Science degree, Oceanography, U.S. Naval Academy
• 2002, Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College
• 2012, Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces

Assignment

• August 1989 – February 1990, Student, Surface Warfare Officer’s School, Coronado, CA
• March 1990 – August 1993, Electrical Officer / Communications Officer / Combat Information Center Officer, USS SAN JOSE (AFS 7), Guam
• August 1993 – July 1995, Flag Aide to the Deputy and Chief of Staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, HI
• May 1996 – November 1997, Operations Officer, USS DAVID R. RAY (DD 971), Everett, WA
• March 1998 – August 1999, Operations Officer, USS NORMANDY (CG 60), Norfolk, VA
• August 1999 – May 2002, Joint Exercise Communications Planner for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems Directorate (J6), U.S. Joint Forces Command, Joint Warfighting Center, Suffolk, VA
• September 2002 – May 2004, Executive Officer, USS HIGGINS (DDG 76), San Diego, CA
• June 2004 – July 2005, Deputy Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information, Plans, and Strategy (OPNAV N3/N5), Washington, D.C.
• August 2008 – November 2006, Director, Naval Academy Sailing, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
• April 2007 – November 2008, Commanding Officer, USS CURTS (FFG 38), San Diego, CA
• November 2008 – July 2011, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director on the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego, CA
• November 2012 – October 2014, Commanding Officer, USS BUNKER HILL (CG 60), San Diego, CA
• November 2014 – July 2017, Assistant Chief of Staff for Requirements, Experimentation, and Innovation for Commander, U.S. THIRD Fleet, San Diego, CA
• August 2017 – April 2019, Senior Military Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, Department of State, Washington, D.C.
• May 2019 – May 2020, Commander, Carrier Strike Group ELEVEN, Everett, WA
• 08 Jun 2020 – Present, Chief of Staff, United States Southern Command, Doral, FL