Yvette M. Davids
Birth nameYvette Marie Gonzalez
Born (1967-03-29) 29 March 1967 (age 56)
Bexar County, Texas[1]
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1989–present
RankVice admiral
Commands heldUnited States Naval Academy
Naval Surface Forces
Naval Surface Force Pacific
Carrier Strike Group 11
USS Bunker Hill
USS Curts
Battles/warsGulf War
Iraq War
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Spouse(s)Rear Admiral Keith B. Davids

Yvette Marie Davids (born 29 March 1967)[1][2] is a United States Navy vice admiral. She was the first Hispanic American woman to command a navy ship.[3]

Early life and education

Yvette Marie Gonzalez grew up in San Antonio, Texas.[4] She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy in 1989 and was commissioned as an ensign.[5] While studying at the Naval Academy she earned All-America Crew honors in Intercollegiate Sailing for both 1987 and 1989.[6] She later received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2002 and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2012.[4]

Career

Yvette Davids served as executive officer of the destroyers USS Higgins (DDG-76) and USS Benfold (DDG-65).[4] She later commanded the frigate USS Curts (FFG-38) from April 2007 to November 2008,[7] becoming the first Hispanic American woman to command a navy warship.[3]

Yvette Davids assumed command of the cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) from Captain Michael J. Ford in San Diego on 8 November 2012.[8] She was relieved of command by Captain Sterling W. Dawley in Singapore on 3 October 2014.[9]

Davids' promotion to rear admiral (lower half) was authorized by the United States Senate on 25 May 2017.[10] Davids served as senior military advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.[4] She assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 11 in May 2019.[11] She was succeeded by Rear Admiral James A. Kirk in May 2020.[12] Her promotion to rear admiral (upper half) had been approved by the Senate on 20 March 2020.[13]

In May 2022, it was announced that Davids would be assigned as special assistant to the director of the Navy Staff,[14] simultaneously serving as director of the Learning to Action Drive Team.[15]

In April 2023, Davids was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as the superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.[16][17] Pending confirmation, she was assigned in an interim capacity as the commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force, United States Pacific Fleet, succeeding Roy Kitchener until December 2023.[18] She was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy and began serving as the Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy on 11 January, 2024.[19]

Personal

Yvette Davids is the daughter of William E. Gonzalez and Magda Margarita (Matos) Gonzalez.[1] She is married to Rear Admiral Keith B. Davids, a 1990 Naval Academy graduate and Navy SEAL officer.[20][21] They have twin sons. As of August 2022, her husband was serving as the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command.[22]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yvette M. Davids.
  1. ^ a b c Birth Index, 1903–1997. Austin, Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services.
  2. ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1 October 1990. p. 181. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  3. ^ a b Zimmerman, Elizabeth (1 October 2008). ""Las Primera" Latina to Command a Navy Ship Honored at Gala". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  4. ^ a b c d "Rear Admiral Yvette M. Davids". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  5. ^ "PN151 — Navy". U.S. Congress. March 1989. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  6. ^ "Intercollegiate Sailing". Navy Sports. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  7. ^ "USS Curts (FFG 38)". NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  8. ^ Wasko, Claire (8 November 2012). "USS Bunker Hill Holds Change of Command". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  9. ^ "New Commander aboard USS Bunker Hill". navaltoday.com. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  10. ^ "PN111-1 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  11. ^ "U.S. Navy Biographies – REAR ADMIRAL YVETTE M. DAVIDS". www.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2018-12-19.
  12. ^ "Nimitz Change Of Command Ceremony". dvidshub.net. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  13. ^ "PN1627 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  14. ^ "United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), May 2022" (PDF). MyNavyHR. 2022-04-30.
  15. ^ "United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), October 2022" (PDF). MyNavyHR. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  16. ^ "PN541 — Rear Adm. Yvette M. Davids — Navy". U.S. Congress. 2023-04-20. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  17. ^ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  18. ^ "Commander, Naval Surface Forces Holds Change of Command". DVIDS. San Diego: Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  19. ^ "VADM Davids Confirmed As Superintendent At Naval Academy". United States Navy. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  20. ^ "PN1011 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 9 March 1990. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  21. ^ "Mental Toughness Underlies Passion for Sailing". Ethos Live. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  22. ^ Cheek, Destiny (2022-08-19). "Naval Special Warfare Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". DVIDS. San Diego, California: Naval Special Warfare Command. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
Military offices Preceded byDonald D. Gabrielson Commander of Carrier Strike Group 11 2019–2020 Succeeded byJames A. Kirk Preceded byRoy I. Kitchener Commander of the Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific FleetActing 2023 Succeeded byBrendan R. McLane Preceded byFrederick W. KacherActing 64th Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy 2024–present Incumbent
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