CDR William M. Bencini

Past Commanding Officer, USS Sampson (DDG 102)

01 May 2022 Cdr Mike Bencini is a native of High Point, North Carolina.  He graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.  He earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Memphis.

Bencini’s initial sea tour was on board USS TARAWA (LHA 1), from June 2004 to August 2006, where he served as Repair Division Officer and Electrical Division Officer.  In his follow-on sea tour, he served as Fire Control Officer and Assistant Weapons Officer onboard USS McCAMPBELL (DDG 85) from January 2007 to August 2008.

Following Department Head training, Bencini served as Operations Officer on board USS MUSTIN (DDG 89) from October 2012 to March 2014; and N3 on DESTROYER SQUADRON FIFTEEN from March 2014 to November 2015.  Cdr Bencini recently completed his tour as Executive Officer on USS SAMPSON (DDG 102) from October 2020 to February 2022.

Bencini’s shore assignments include: Promotion Board Sponsor at PERS-80, Naval Personnel Command (NPC), Millington, Tennessee; Pacific Fleet Cruiser, Destroyer and Amphibious Placement Officer and First Tour Department Head Detailer, Surface Warfare Officer Distribution, NPC.  Following his second tour at NPC, he reported to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff from August 2017 to December 2019.