CDR Gerard M. Mauer III

Commanding Officer, USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108)

16 January 2025 The son of a senior Naval Officer, Commander Mauer lived in several places but considers himself a native of Virginia. He graduated from George Mason University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and International Politics.

Afloat, Commander Mauer completed his division officer tours aboard USS CHAFEE (DDG 90) as the First Lieutenant and Assistant Operations Officer, and then aboard USS HOPPER (DDG 70) as the Damage Control Assistant. Onboard USS CHAFEE he made two deployments to the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility in support of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises, Malabar, Foal Eagle, and South China Sea operations. In USS HOPPER he deployed to the Seventh and Fifth Fleets areas of responsibilities in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Al Basrah Oil Terminal (ABOT) defense, and national tasking of ballistic missile defense. He completed his first department head tour as the Operations Officer in USS CARNEY (DDG 64), forward deployed to Rota, Spain. Subsequently, he served as the Operations Officer and Chief Staff Officer to Destroyer Squadron Seven, home based in Singapore.

Ashore, Commander Mauer earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs with a concentration in Europe and Eurasia from the Naval Postgraduate School as well as completed the Naval War College Non-resident Program for Joint Professional Military Education Phase I. After, he served as the Deputy Protocol Officer to the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Greenert. At the Surface Warfare Schools Command, he served as the N73 Undersea Warfare Module Lead and the Advanced Division Officer Course Maritime Warfare Lead.

He was the 2021-2022 Navy’s Federal Executive Fellow to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Security Studies Program. Most recently he served as the Executive Officer onboard USS WAYNE E. MEYER (DDG 108).

Commander Mauer’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with 4 Gold Stars), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with two Gold Stars) as well as multiple unit and service awards.