Incoming NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Cox addresses the crowd at the Change of Command ceremony April 11. Cox is the 41st CO to serve at Pax River, which was commissioned in April 1943. (U.S. Navy photo by Donna Cipolloni)
Capt. Christopher Cox assumed command of Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in a change of command ceremony April 11 at Air Test and Evaluation (VX) 20’s Hangar 306.
Cox’s role as NAS commanding officer follows his service, since Aug. 31, 2017, as the air station’s executive officer, a position that falls under the Navy’s Fleet-Up program. In the program, executive officers serve in that position for a year and a half before they “fleet up” to become the commanding officer for their command tour on the same ship or station – a practice that provides focused command leadership stability.
A native of Culver City, California, Cox graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering. He went on to flight school and was winged as a Naval Flight Officer in 1997. He also studied the aircraft industry at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University where he completed his JSO qualification, earned an elective certificate in the Long Term Strategy Program, and a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy.
He has logged more than 2,600 flight hours and almost 300 carrier arrested landings performing Carrier Based ASW and Sea Control, “Multi-INT” Surveillance, Sensitive Reconnaissance Operations, and other Direct Support missions in the SOUTHCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM, CENTCOM and PACOM areas of responsibility.
During his address to those in attendance, Cox thanked the Sailors and civilians who made the ceremony possible and noted Pax River’s role in providing effective and efficient common shore enterprise support services to tenants that lead to victory in combat worldwide.
Cox is the 41st commanding officer to serve at Pax River, which was commissioned in 1943.
Incoming NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Cox addresses the crowd at the Change of Command ceremony April 11. Cox is the 41st CO to serve at Pax River, which was commissioned in April 1943. (U.S. Navy photo by Donna Cipolloni)
