A true Florida Man, Commander Mutschler grew up in Merritt Island, FL and attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona, FL. He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering and commissioned through Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. He completed primary flight training with the Air Force in Enid, OK, and advanced rotary wing flight school in Milton, FL, earning a high enough Navy Standard Score to be selected as one of the first students to complete the MH-60R CAT I syllabus at HSM-40 in Jacksonville, FL.

After qualifying in the MH-60R, CDR Mutschler was assigned to the HSM-70 “Spartans,” where he completed two deployments onboard the USS HALYBURTON (FFG-40) and USS ROOSEVELT (DDG-80). His operational highlights from those deployments include his involvement in capturing 11 pirates while assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group ONE embarked on FFG-40, and he served as the Pilot in Command for OPERATION MORNING GLORY while embarked on DDG-80.

Following his first sea tour, CDR Mutschler was selected for Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor School in Fallon, NV, and subsequently instructed at HSM Weapons School Atlantic for his first shore tour. During this tour he proudly advanced the community’s ASW standards and served as the Training Department Head in the squadron, earning him Instructor Pilot of the Year for the Southeast Region and Officer of the Year.

CDR Mutschler was hand-selected to serve as the squadron SWTI for the HSM-46 “Grandmasters” as they transitioned from an HSM Expeditionary Squadron to an HSM Carrier Airwing Squadron. While serving as the Squadron SWTI he was instrumental to the command earning the Battle “E” for three consecutive years. During the last year of his time as a Grandmaster, he was trusted to serve as the Training and Operations Department Head prior to his selection as an operational department head.

When he was selected for operational department head, CDR Mutschler transferred to the HSM-74 “Swamp Foxes” in the middle of a Dynamic Force Employment deployment and assumed control of a Combat Element attached to USS MONTEREY (CG-61). His operational highlights include executing a high visibility submarine escort through the Strait of Hormuz and a terrorist weapon seizure from a dhow. He finished the deployment on USS EISENHOWER (CVN-69) as the squadron Maintenance Officer, assisting with the Afghanistan Withdrawal. He earned Officer of the Year from HSM-74 and was selected to attend Naval War College.

His first time out of the cockpit was to attend the Navy War College where he earned a Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies, and an Additional Qualification Designation in CENTCOM studies as part of an Advanced Research Program. He also welcomed his first son Coen with his wife Mallory while attending the NWC. While attending NWC he was selected for Commander and assigned to HSM-73 in San Diego, CA. Most recently he has checked in to HSM-41 where he is eager to get back up to speed and rejoin the fleet.