Executive Officer

Commander Thomas R. White, USN

Commander White enlisted in the Navy in 1981. After Machinist Mate ‘A’ school, he served aboard USS America CV-66. Following that assignment he completed Naval Nuclear Power School and Prototype training and was assigned to USS South Carolina CGN-37. During this assignment, MM2 White applied for and was accepted to the United States Naval Academy where he competed on and captained the pistol team to a National Championship, being elected to three All American Teams. He graduated in 1989 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Marine Engineering and followed up with Naval Nuclear Power School and Prototype training.

His first submarine assignment was USS Ohio SSBN-726 where he completed three strategic deterrent patrols earning his gold dolphins qualifying Nuclear Engineering Officer and Strategic Weapons Officer.

In 1993, LT White transferred to Pre-Commissioning Unit Rhode Island SSBN-740 to serve as Main Propulsion Assistant and Tactical Weapons Officer. He completed new construction, commissioning, initial sea trials, and initial strategic missile testing.

LT White’s first shore tour was instructor at Naval Nuclear Power School, Orlando, FL from 1995 to 1997. He taught both Officer and Enlisted students earning the designation - Master Training Specialist. After the Submarine Officer advanced course, LT White reported aboard USS Helena SSN-725 stationed at Pearl Harbor, HI, as the Combat Systems Officer. USS Helena transited the Panama Canal changing homeport to Portsmouth, NH for a Depot Maintenance Period where she received tactical and nuclear upgrades. Twelve months after entering the shipyard, USS Helena transited a second time through the Panama Canal back to the Pacific to her new homeport at San Diego, CA. Following a deployment that COMSUBPAC described as “the most important Submarine mission in the past decade,” LT White transferred in 2000 to Washington D.C. serving on the OPNAV staff working in N-6.

As the IT-21 Fleet Requirements Officer responsible for all IT-21 installations for U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships, he ensured all deploying battle groups would have compatibly upgraded communications suites. Attending the Air Command and Staff College on Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Al, LCDR White earned his Master of Military Operational Art and Science Degree in 2003.

In 2003, LCDR White was assigned to Charleston, SC as the Director of Students – Enlisted Department at the Naval Nuclear Power School where he was responsible for all non-academic attributes of the assigned enlisted students.

CDR White returned to Washington D.C. in 2005 assigned as Deputy Technical Director of the Research and Development Support Activity. In October 2011, CDR White accepted his present assignment as Executive Officer and Associate Professor of Naval Science at NROTC Unit, The Citadel, Charleston, SC.