Captain Preston Gill is the commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg, Naval Support Activity Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Naval Yard Annex. In this position, he oversees base support for 77 tenant activities and more than 13,600 employees. He assumed command September 6, 2019. A native of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, upon completion of high school in 1988, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and later received his commission through Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. He graduated from Norfolk State University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and received a master’s degree in operations research in 2003 from the Naval Post Graduate School and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2007. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Stanford Business School and the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business Executive Education Programs.
His afloat and command tours include: commanding officer, Defense Contract Management Agency Europe; commanding officer, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Sigonella Italy; assistant chief of staff for logistics, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven; supply officer, USS Baltimore (SSN 704); aviation supply officer, USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) and USS Essex (LHD-2) both forward deployed in Sasebo, Japan.
Captain Gill’s ashore tours include: Navy acquisition contracting officer intern, Naval Sea Systems Command; deputy department head Nuclear Reactors Supply Chain Management, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support; logistics director, Naval War College JFMCC Assist and Assess Team; director of logistics for Commander Fleet Air Forward.
A member of the Acquisition Professional Community, Gill has earned supply warfare qualifications in submarine, aviation and surface warfare and is a qualified Joint Service Officer. He is DAWIA Level III in Contracting and in Acquisition Logistics. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (three awards) and various other unit and personal awards.
Last Updated: 14 March 2022