Captain Gastrell joined VUQ-10 as Commanding Officer in December 2022 following completion of his assignment as OPNAV N98 MQ-25A Requirements Officer.

A native of Burke, Virginia, CAPT Gastrell was commissioned in 2000 via Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 2002.  He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from Duke University.

CAPT Gastrell’s operational assignments include tours with VAW-121 as a junior officer, Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) as Landing Signals Officer, VAW-125 as a Department Head, and VAW-126 as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer.  He has deployed and served on board the USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), and USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) in support of OPERATIONs Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Partnership of the Americas, and Joint Task Force - Katrina.  He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award for Junior Officers while serving with VAW-121.
 
Ashore, CAPT Gastrell served as an Instructor Pilot and Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Program Manager at VAW-120 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), then in 2010 as CNAF Force Landing Signals Officer.  In December of 2013, he reported to the Joint Staff, J33 Directorate (Nuclear, Homeland Defense, and Current Operations) at the Pentagon, Washington, DC.   He served as the J3 Antiterrorism/Force Protection lead providing Joint Staff, National Security Council, and Congressional leaders briefings on the full spectrum of Department of Defense current operations and crisis response.  In 2019, he served as the OPNAV N98 MQ-25A Stingray Requirements Officer, laying the foundation for unmanned air systems and Autonomy in the carrier air wing of the future.
 
CAPT Gastrell has logged more than 3,300 hours in the E-2 Hawkeye and flown more than 100 combat missions with U.S. Navy. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, numerous Meritorious Service Medals, strike flight Air Medals, Navy Commendation Medals, and Navy Achievement Medals as well as other individual, campaign, and unit awards. 
 

Last Updated: 1 August 2023