CDR Scott Richards

EXECUTIVE OFFICER, USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49)

31 January 2025 Commander Scott Richards is a native of Ohio. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2009 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics, attained a Master of Arts in Security Studies (Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific) from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2015, and graduated from the Amphibious Warfare Tactics Instructor (AMW WTI) program in 2017.
 

Commander Richards’ sea assignments include serving as the Electrical and Auxiliaries Officer onboard USS WAYNE E. MEYER (DDG 108) from June 2009 – October 2011; Antiterrorism and Assistant Operations Officer onboard USS ARLINGTON (LPD 24) from October 2011 – May 2014; Planning and Tactics Officer onboard USS GREEN BAY (LPD 20) from October 2017 – April 2019; and First Lieutenant onboard USS WASP (LHD 1) from May 2019 – November 2020.

Commander Richards’ shore assignments include serving as an Advanced Division Officer Course (ADOC) Instructor at Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS) from January 2016 – July 2016; the Assistant Director of Training (N7A), Amphibious Warfare Tactics Instructor (AMW WTI) Course of Instruction (COI) Lead, and Amphibious Warfare Doctrine and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures Lead at Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) from December 2020 – July 2024.

Commander Richards’ 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. In 2017, his Department Head School peers selected him as the Arleigh Burke Award Recipient. While serving aboard USS GREEN BAY (LPD 20), he was the recipient of Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet’s 2018 Junior Officer Award for Tactics Excellence. While serving aboard USS WASP (LHD 1), he was selected as the 2019 Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic’s Surface Warfare Officer of the Year.