CDR Justan A. “Jac” Caesar

Commanding Officer, USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114)

01 July 2024 CDR Jac Caesar, a surface warfare officer, is a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at Morehouse College in 2007, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. He holds a master’s in Business Administration from Ithaca College.

At sea, he served as the Auxiliaries Officer and Ship’s Maintenance Management Officer aboard USS Tortuga (LSD 46). During his second division officer tour, he served as Training Officer on USS Mustin (DDG 89). As a Department Head, CDR Caesar was the first to serve as Plans & Tactics Officer aboard USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and then as Combat Systems & Weapons Officer on COMDESRON Fifteen staff (CDS 15). He commanded USS Typhoon (PC 5) forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain. He recently completed his tour as Executive Officer on USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114).

His ashore assignments include duty at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Assessments Division (OPNAV N81 as an Afloat Readiness Analyst and as an NROTC Instructor at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

CDR Caesar’s deployments have been in either the Arabian Gulf or Western Pacific, where he has participated in numerous joint, bilateral, and multi-national exercises. He has also deployed in support of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations to include OPERATION TOMODACHI in 2011.

CDR Caesar assumed Command of USS Ralph Johnson on 1 July 2024.

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