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Yvette Davids
64th Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 2024
Preceded byFrederick W. Kacher (acting)
Personal details
Born (1967-03-29) March 29, 1967 (age 57)
Bexar County, Texas, U.S.
SpouseKeith Davids
EducationUnited States Naval Academy (BS)
Naval War College (MS)
National Defense University (MS)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Years of service1989–present
RankVice Admiral
CommandsUnited States Naval Academy
Naval Surface Forces
Naval Surface Force Pacific
Carrier Strike Group 11
USS Bunker Hill
USS Curts
Battles/warsGulf War
Iraq War
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)

Yvette Marie Davids (born 29 March 1967)[1][2] is a United States Navy vice admiral. She was the first Hispanic American woman to command a navy ship,[3] and began serving as the first female Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy on 11 January 2024.[4][5][6]

Early life and education

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Yvette Marie Gonzalez grew up in San Antonio, Texas.[7] She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy in 1989 and was commissioned as an ensign.[8] While studying at the Naval Academy she earned All-America Crew honors in Intercollegiate Sailing for both 1987 and 1989.[9] She later received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2002 and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces of the National Defense University in 2012.[7]

Career

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Yvette Davids served as executive officer of the destroyers USS Higgins (DDG-76) and USS Benfold (DDG-65).[7] She later commanded the frigate USS Curts (FFG-38) from April 2007 to November 2008,[10] becoming the first Hispanic American woman to command a navy warship.[3]

Yvette Davids assumed command of the cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) from Captain Michael J. Ford in San Diego on 8 November 2012.[11] She was relieved of command by Captain Sterling W. Dawley in Singapore on 3 October 2014.[12]

Davids' promotion to rear admiral (lower half) was authorized by the United States Senate on 25 May 2017.[13] Davids served as senior military advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.[7] She assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 11 in May 2019.[14] She was succeeded by Rear Admiral James A. Kirk in May 2020.[15] Her promotion to rear admiral (upper half) had been approved by the Senate on 20 March 2020.[16]

In May 2022, it was announced that Davids would be assigned as special assistant to the director of the Navy Staff,[17] simultaneously serving as director of the Learning to Action Drive Team.[18]

In April 2023, Davids was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as the Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.[19][20] Pending confirmation, she was assigned in an interim capacity as the commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force, United States Pacific Fleet, succeeding Roy Kitchener until December 2023.[21] She was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy and began serving as the first female Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy on 11 January 2024.[4][5][6]

Personal

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Yvette Davids is the daughter of William E. Gonzalez and Magda Margarita (Matos) Gonzalez.[1] She is married to retired rear admiral Keith B. Davids, a 1990 Naval Academy graduate and Navy SEAL officer.[22][23] They have twin sons. As of August 2022, her husband was serving as the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command.[24]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yvette M. Davids.
  1. ^ a b Birth Index, 1903–1997. Austin, Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services.
  2. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1 October 1990. p. 181. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  3. ^ a b Zimmerman, Elizabeth (1 October 2008). ""Las Primera" Latina to Command a Navy Ship Honored at Gala". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  4. ^ a b "VADM Davids Confirmed As Superintendent At Naval Academy". United States Navy. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  5. ^ a b Bonds, Royale (January 12, 2024). "Yvette Davids becomes first woman and Latina to lead Naval Academy". The Baltimore Banner.
  6. ^ a b https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/04/21/yvette-davids-us-naval-academy-superintendent/ [bare URL]
  7. ^ a b c d "Rear Admiral Yvette M. Davids". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  8. ^ "PN151 — Navy". U.S. Congress. March 1989. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  9. ^ "Intercollegiate Sailing". Navy Sports. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  10. ^ "USS Curts (FFG 38)". NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  11. ^ Wasko, Claire (8 November 2012). "USS Bunker Hill Holds Change of Command". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  12. ^ "New Commander aboard USS Bunker Hill". navaltoday.com. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  13. ^ "PN111-1 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  14. ^ "U.S. Navy Biographies – REAR ADMIRAL YVETTE M. DAVIDS". www.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2018-12-19.
  15. ^ "Nimitz Change Of Command Ceremony". dvidshub.net. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  16. ^ "PN1627 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  17. ^ "United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), May 2022" (PDF). MyNavyHR. 2022-04-30.
  18. ^ "United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), October 2022" (PDF). MyNavyHR. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  19. ^ "PN541 — Rear Adm. Yvette M. Davids — Navy". U.S. Congress. 2023-04-20. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  20. ^ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  21. ^ "Commander, Naval Surface Forces Holds Change of Command". DVIDS. San Diego: Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  22. ^ "PN1011 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 9 March 1990. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  23. ^ "Mental Toughness Underlies Passion for Sailing". Ethos Live. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  24. ^ Cheek, Destiny (2022-08-19). "Naval Special Warfare Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". DVIDS. San Diego, California: Naval Special Warfare Command. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Carrier Strike Group 11
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
Acting
2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by 64th Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
2024–present 		Incumbent
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