Captain Thomas Butts is a native of Erlanger, KY. He enlisted in the Navy in 1995 as a Radioman and was later selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program.  He graduated from the University of North Florida in 2002 and was designated a Naval Aviator, receiving his “Wings of Gold”, in December 2004.
 
He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Executive MBA program, completed JPME Phase I through the Air Force Air Command and Staff College and JPME Phase II at the Joint Forces Staff College.
 
His non-Command operational flying tours have been with the “Island Knights” of HSC-25 (Junior Officer) and the “Sea Knights” of HSC-22 (Department Head). He served his disassociated tour as the Air Boss and Safety Officer on USS SAN ANTONIO (LPD-17).
 
His shore assignments include two Fleet Replacement Squadron flight instructor tours with the “Fleet Angels” of HSC-2 and a joint tour assignment on the Joint Staff in the J-7 Directorate where he supported the Chairman’s Exercise Program Division and United States Transportation Command.  Post O5 command tour he was assigned to the OPNAV N98 Staff serving as the MH-60S Requirements Officer.
 
In command he led the 2021 Battle “E” award winning HSC-25 “Island Knights”, HSC-7 “Dusty Dogs” and the HSC-3 “Merlins” the Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific (HSCWP) Fleet Replacement Squadron.  Most recently he was the Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.  He is currently the Prospective Deputy Commodore for HSCWP.
 
CAPT Butts has accumulated 2,700 flight hours and is a recipient of the peer selected, Navy and Marine Corps Leadership Award. His other awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (8 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (5 awards) and various personal, unit and campaign awards.

Last Updated: 19 February 2025