LCDR James C. Billings III

Past Commanding Officer, USS Chief (MCM 14)

03 May 2021 Lieutenant Commander Billings is a native of Washington, DC and commissioned in 2009 from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation and a license as a Third Mate of Steam and Motor Vessels upon Oceans.
 
He has served at sea as the Electrical Officer and First Lieutenant in USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62), the Fire Control Officer in USS LASSEN (DDG 82), and the C5I Officer in USS BARRY (DDG 52), all forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. In August 2019 he reported to USS CHIEF (MCM 14) forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan as the Executive Officer.
 
LCDR Billings assumed command of USS CHIEF on 03 May 2021.
 
An Olmsted Scholar, he studied Mandarin Chinese at DLI-East in Washington, DC and spent two years living in Shanghai, China where he studied at Fudan University and earned a Master of Law degree in International Politics. He has also served as a member of the U.S. Naval Institute’s Editorial Board.