Commander Steve "Slater" Duran

Executive Officer, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 7

10 December 2020 Commander Stephen Duran is a native of Barstow, CA and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1996. His first tour was with the Navy Ceremonial Guard located at Naval Station Anacostia in Washington, D. C. While serving as a ceremonial guardsman, he selected for the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program and reported to Newport, RI in 1998. Following his time at BOOST, he attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 2003 with his commission.

Commander Duran began his flight training in 2003 and completed advance fixed-wing training in 2005 at Vance AFB located in Enid, OK. He is also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School.

Commander Duran reported to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron SEVEN (VQ-7) in Tinker AFB, OK for fleet replacement training and in 2006 to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron FOUR (VQ-4), where he qualified as an Aircraft Commander Instructor and Mission Commander on the E-6B Mercury TACAMO aircraft. In 2009, Commander Duran reported to NAS Whiting Field, FL as an Instructor Pilot in the T-34C Turbomentor and T-6B Texan II aircraft training Student Naval Aviators during their primary flight training. He then reported to the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) in 2012 as a Catapult Officer in Yokosuka, Japan. In 2014, Commander Duran returned to Strategic Communications Wing ONE in Oklahoma as the Exercise Officer. In 2015, he returned to VQ-4 for his department head tour and served as the Safety Officer and Operations Officer.

Commander Duran’s last assignment was as the first Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) Officer for U.S. Fleet Forces Command, where he coordinated with OPNAV, NAVWAR, PEO C4I and numerous commands on all aspects of the Navy NC3 Enterprise architecture. 
 
His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various other unit and personal awards.