CDR Donald Northrup

Executive Officer, USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123)

24 November 2024 Commander Donald Northrup is a native of Mesa, AZ where he enlisted in the Navy in 2002 as a Machinist Mate (Nuclear). He then graduated from the Naval Academy in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and attained a Master’s of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2015.

Commander Northrup’s sea assignments include serving as the Main Propulsion Officer onboard USS HALSEY (DDG 97) from July 2009 – January 2012; Navigator onboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG 57) from June 2012 – May 2014; Chief Engineer onboard USS HIGGINS (DDG 76) from May 2017 – August 2018; and N4 Materials/Logistics Officer as part of Destroyer Squadron 23 from August 2018 – November 2020.

Commander Northrup’s shore assignments include serving as a Navigation/Seamanship Instructor at Surface Warfare Officer from December 2015 – June 2016; Navy Personnel Command Surface Warfare (Pers-41) Junior Officer Sea Coordinator from December 2020 – May 2022; then as Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commander Navy Personnel Command for Career Management (Pers-4) from May 2022 – March 2024.

Commander Northrup’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other unit and service awards. While in attendance at the Naval Postgraduate School, he was selected as a Conrad Scholar for his thesis titled, “A Business Process Analysis of the Surface Navy’s Depot Level Maintenance Program.