Captain Deidre McLay
Commander
Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Three

Captain Deidre McLay, a native of Boulder City, Nev., was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy after graduating with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado in 1986.

A Surface Warfare Officer, Capt. McLay's sea assignments include duty on board destroyers, amphibious, and logistics ships in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. Capt. McLay also served as the commissioning commanding officer of guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99), leading the formation and training of the ship's first crew, initial outfitting, construction completion, systems testing, as well as preparations for fleet operations. McLay also deployed to the Arabian Gulf as Chief Staff Officer of Destroyer Squadron 3, embarked on board aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Ashore, Capt. McLay served as an Action Officer on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Future Ships Branch of the Director of Surface Warfare (N76), Washington, D.C.; as an Instructor at Surface Warfare Officers School, Newport, R.I.; and as Executive Assistant to Commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Her most recent assignment was Chief of Staff to Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Capt. McLay earned master's degrees in operations research from the Naval Postgraduate School and national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Capt. McLay's decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and other personal, unit and campaign awards.