Commander Jonathan I. Norris
CDR Norris, a native of San Marcos, Texas, graduated and was commissioned in 2005 from the United States Naval Academy with a bachelor’s of science degree in English. He completed flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in May 2007. Following completion of advanced pilot training at Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWO, Norfolk, Virginia, in November 2007, CDR Norris transferred to sea duty at Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWO SIX (HSC-26), also in Norfolk, where he completed two deployments to the Middle East and was recognized as the HSC-26 “Officer of the Year.”
In early 2010, he deployed to Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, serving as the Assistant Operations Officer for the Commissions Support Group. CDR Norris then served as Flag Aide to Vice Admiral David Dunaway at Operational Test and Evaluation Force, Norfolk, Virginia, for one year and a second year for Admiral Dunaway at Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland.
CDR Norris next served as a Launch and Recovery Officer onboard the USS NIMITZ in Everett, WA. During his tour, CDR Norris first served as the Flight Deck Division Officer, responsible for 160 personnel, and later as the Lead Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer (“TOPCAT”). CDR Norris received the 2014 Navy Marine Corps Association Leadership Award and received honorable mention from the Secretory of the Navy for his innovative efforts onboard NIMITZ. He next attended and graduated from the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell AFB in June 2016. Following ACSC, he served as the HSCWINGLANT Helicopter LNO in Bahrain until September 2017.
CDR Norris then transferred to the Foreign Area Officer community and attended DLI East in Washington DC where he studied Azerbaijani until July 2018 when he moved to Baku, Azerbaijan to serve two years as the Office of Defense Cooperation Chief.
In October 2020, CDR Norris moved to Washington DC to serve as a Military Advisor at the State Department.
In September 2022, CDR Norris moved to Cairo, Egypt, where he currently serves as the Deputy Foreign Military Sales Chief at the Office of Military Cooperation.