CDR Robert J. Toohig Jr.

COMMANDING OFFICER, USS GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (LCS 10) GOLD CREW

06 November 2024 Cmdr. Robert J. Toohig Jr., a native of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania enlisted in the Navy in 1999 as an electrician’s mate in the Naval Nuclear Program, and upon completion of the intensive training pipeline he was selected as a Staff Pickup Instructor at the MARF Prototype in Ballston Spa, New York. During this duty station, he was selected for the Seaman to Admiral 21 Commissioning Program and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in electrical engineering at Pennsylvania State University and was commissioned in 2006.

Toohig’s sea duty assignments include gunnery and auxiliaries officer onboard USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) from 2006-2008, damage control assistant on Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Crew Leader from 2008-2010, chief engineer on USS Decatur (DDG 73) from 2013-2015, and combat systems officer, N6, assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21 from 2015-2016. He reported for his tour as executive officer onboard USS Dextrous (MCM 13), FDNF Bahrain, in October 2016, fleeted up as commanding officer in October 2017, and was successfully relieved in February 2019. Following his LCS training he assumed the duties and responsibilities as Executive Officer for USS Montgomery (LCS 8) from February 2022 to November 2022. Shortly following he transferred to USS GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (LCS 10) to assume the duties as Executive Officer onboard until June of 2024 in which he assumed the duties as the Commanding Officer supporting operations in the Western Pacific maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.

Ashore, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and earned a Master’s of Science in systems engineering and completed his Joint Professional Military Education Phase 1 in 2012. He has also served as the satellite engineering and flight dynamics officer at the Naval Satellite Operations Center (NAVSOC) in Point Mugu California. Most recently, he completed his Joint Tour and Qualification as a chief scenario at NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. In November of 2022.

His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (three), Navy and Achievement Medal (three), and various service awards.