Rear Admiral Richard W. Meyer, a native of Fountain Valley, California, graduated with highest honors from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1993. He received his commission from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, graduating with distinction, later that year. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is a graduate of the Naval War College Command and Staff Program and the Joint Forces Staff College Joint and Combined Warfighting School and is designated as a Joint Qualification Level III officer.
Meyer served as a Division Officer aboard the USS Portsmouth (SSN 707), completing two Western Pacific deployments. He then served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Naval Science and Navy ROTC instructor at the University of California, Berkeley, after which he transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 2000.
In the Navy Reserve, Meyer completed staff tours in submarine and related operations units, including Commander, Submarine Group 8; Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, JTFCU; Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Naval Mine and Antisubmarine Warfare Command; and Naval Information Warfare Systems Command. He also completed a one-year mobilization as the Chief Engineer and lead for Civ-Mil Strategy Assessments to the Office of the Defense Representative-Pakistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Meyer’s Navy Reserve command tours include; Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea Headquarters, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet/Commander Task Force 34, Commander, U.S. Third Fleet Headquarters, Submarine Expeditionary Maintenance Det. L; and Navy Submarine Support Center, San Diego. He also completed two Post-Major Command tours as the Deputy Commander, Readiness and Mobilization Command Fort Worth and as Commander, Navy Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer Program. He assumed his current role as Deputy Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet in October 2023.
Meyer’s awards include the Legion of Merit (2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4), Navy Commendation Medal (3), Navy Achievement Medal (6), and various unit awards. He is also the recipient of the Admiral Behrens award as the top graduate from the Naval Nuclear Power School and the L.Y. Spear award as the top graduate from the Submarine Officer Basic Course.