Capt. Richard G. Burgess

Commanding Officer, USS Lewis B Puller (ESB 3) Gold Crew

07 July 2021

CAPT Rick Burgess, a native of Bellevue, WA., graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1998.

Operational assignments include tours with Fighter Squadron (VF) 31, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72); Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63); and two tours with VFA-103, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower  (CVN 69) and USS George Washington (CVN 73).

Shore assignments include service as Action Officer in the House Liaison Office, Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA); TOPGUN Instructor with Navy Fighter Weapons School; Strike Fighter Placement Officer (PERS-433B) with Navy Personnel Command (NPC); Branch Chief, Global Missile Defense Requirements with Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization (JIAMDO), the Joint Staff (J8); and Homeland Defense Technologies Project Lead with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).

He completed the Air Command and Staff College Non-Resident Program, earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from Naval War College, and has a graduate certificate in Nuclear Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School.

He commanded VFA-103, the Jolly Rogers, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), from July 2013 to November 2014; served as Executive Officer of USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) from June 2019 to December 2020; and commands the nation’s first Expeditionary Sea Base, USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3). CAPT Burgess’ next assignment is command of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

Burgess has flown more than 3,500 hours in the F-14, F-15, F-16, and F/A-18. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, and various individual and unit campaign awards.