Rear Adm. Brad Dunham is a native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1992 and earned a Bachelor of Science in General Science. He was a Halsey advanced research fellow at the Naval War College and earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies in 2012. He completed a fellowship in National Security Strategy and Foreign Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2020.
Dunham’s operational tours include flying the P-3C Orion with Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 stationed at Barbers Point, Hawaii deploying in support of Operation Southern Watch; VP-30 in Jacksonville, Florida where he was instrumental in developing the initial Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) syllabus for the P-3C aircraft. He also served as officer-in-charge of a VP-30 instructor detachment flying combat operations over Afghanistan to evaluate weapons and tactics training to the fleet.
Subsequent operational tours include VP-62 in Jacksonville, Florida; VP-64, stationed at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania and execution of the squadron transition from VP-64 to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 64 flying the C-130T Hercules aircraft.
Dunham performed staff tours as Joint Chiefs of Staff, J-35 Directorate as Central Command contingency source planner and as U.S. Fleet Forces Command reserve chief of staff where he served as executive director for Navy COVID-19 response operations and vaccine distribution.
Command tours include VR-64 where he led the squadron’s deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom earning the 2010 Noel Davis Battle Efficiency Award and the 2010 National Defense Transportation Unit of the Year Award. Additional command tours include Navy Reserve, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Defense Support to Civilian Authorities.
He has accumulated over 5500 flight hours in naval aircraft including combat sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and various other personal, expeditionary, unit and campaign awards.
Last Updated: 7 December 2021