Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) - Naval Cruise Book

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER David A. LaBarbera LCDR USN 94 Lieutenant Commander David A. LaBarbera was born in Brooklyn. New York, on December 1 1. 1953. Enlisting in the Navy in August 1972, he served at NAS Miramar in Fighter Squadron VF-21 from August 1973 to September 1975. He then served in USS RANGER (CV 61) as an Aviation Fire Control Technician from October 1975 to August 1976 and deployed to the West- ern Pacific. Upon graduation from the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Technol- ogy at Utica in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, he attended Officer Can- didate School in Newport. Rhode Island and was commissioned in February 1981 as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His initial sea tour as a Division Officer began in 1982 in USS COONTZ (DDG 40) as Boilers Of- ficer and Missile Battery Officer. During his tour. Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer and deployed to the Mediterranean. Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera next served as part of the precommissioning crew as Ordinance Officer in USS MOBILE BAY (CG 53). Following Department Head School, Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera completed two depart- ment head tours. From February 1989 to July 1990. he served as Weapons Officer in USS VRELLAND (FF1068). From August 1990 to March 1992 he served as Auxiliaries Principle As- sistant in USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) and deployed to the Arabian Gulf as part o ' Operation Desert Shield Desert Storm. Most recently. Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera served as the Director oi ' Steam Engineering Instruction at Surface Warfare Officers School. Newport. Rhode Island, and reported aboard USS ARLEIGH BURKE in May 1995 as Executive Officer. Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera ' s personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal (four awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards). Lieutenant Commander LaBarbera is married to former Kelly McMann o Kingstown. Rhode Island. They have two children. Kasey and Alex. U . and

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COMMANDING OFFICER Jeffrey F. Weppler CDR USN Commander Jeffrey F. Weppler was born in Queens. New York, on January 16. 1954. He gradu- ated from The Citadel in May 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His initial sea tour was in USS ROBERT E. PERRY (FF 1073) as Main Propulsion Assistant. During this tour, Commander Weppler qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer and deployed to the South Pacific. Commander Weppler next served as Operations Officer and Anti-Submarine War- fare Officer on the staff of the Commander Fleet Training Group, Pearl Harbor. After Department Head School, Commander Weppler completed two department head tours. From January 1983 to November 1984, he served as Engineering Officer in USS COCHRANE (DD 21) and deployed to the Indian Ocean. From January 1985 to November 1986, he served as Engineering Officer in USS TICONDEROGA (CG 47) and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. Following these department head tours, Commander Weppler attended the Naval Postgraduate School and received a Master of Science degree in Operations Analysis. In July 1989, he reported as Executive Officer in USS SAN JACINTO (CG 56) and deployed twice to the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Most recently, Commander Weppler served as Financial Coordinator for the Surface Combat Sys- tems Division (N865) of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Commander Weppler ' s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards) and the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards). Commander Weppler is married to the former Barbara Norman of Evansville, Indiana.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER Joseph XV. Murphy LCDR USN (Departing) A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Lieutenant Commander Murphy graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1981. His initial sea tour was in USS IWO JIMA (LPH 2) where he served as Machinery Boilers Offi- cer and later Main Propulsion Assistant from March 1982 to April 1985. Following this tour he was Fire Control Officer in USS TICONDEROGA (CG 47) from July 1985 to February 1987. Subsequently, Lieutenant Commander Murphy attended the Naval Postgraduate School where he received a Master of Science degree in Financial Management in December 1988. Following Department Head School in Newport, Lieutenant Commander Murphy reported for duty as Combat Systems Officer in Precommissioning Unit CHOSIN in August 1989. Follow- ing commissioning he served as Combat Svstems and Operations Officer in USS CHOSIN (CG 65) until October 1993. Before entering the Prospective Executive Officer pipeline from October 1993 to February 1994, Lieutenant Commander Murphv was temporarilv assigned to COMMANDER, CRUISER DESTROYER GROUP EIGHT. From March 1994 to May 1995, Lieutenant Commander Murphy served as Executive Officer in USS ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG 5 1 ). Lieutenant Commander Murphy ' s decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal (two awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal. Lieutenant Commander Murphy is married to the former Barbara Kerr of Baltimore, Mary- land. They have three young children, Timothy, Matthew, and Merideth. 95