CDR Matthew Watts

Executive Officer, USS New Orleans (LPD 18)

01 June 2025 CDR Watts is a Texas native and was commissioned through the Vanderbilt University Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2010 receiving degrees in Geology and Political Science.

Afloat, CDR Watts completed a single longer tour aboard USS LASSEN (DDG 82) forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan as Auxiliaries Officer and Navigator participating in eleven multi-national exercises, and disaster relief operations in Thailand and the Philippines. As a Department Head, he was the first Plans & Tactics officer on USS STETHEM (DDG 63), executing a homeport shift from Yokosuka to San Diego, where he remained as Navigator aboard USS BOXER (LHD 4).

He currently serves as the Executive Officer aboard USS NEW ORLEANS (LPD 18).

Ashore, he served as Assistant Operations Officer at Fleet Survey Team in Stennis, Mississippi, where he deployed on hydrographic survey missions to Romania and the Middle East. His staff assignments include Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain as Deputy Fleet Oceanographer, and Deputy Assistant for Manpower & Training, at the Surface Warfare Directorate of the OPNAV Staff (N96) in the Pentagon.