Burfield New CO at NAS Pax River
CAPT Douglas Burfield assumed command of Naval Air Station Patuxent River in a ceremony Jan. 10. CAPT Burfield relieves outgoing commanding officer CAPT Derrick Kingsley.
CAPT Burfield’s role as NAS Pax River CO follows his previous position as the base executive officer.
A native of St. Mary’s, PA, CAPT Burfield earned his commission in 1998 from the US Naval Academy. After flight school and winging in 2000, he was assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Six (HC-6) and deployed with H-46D detachments aboard USS Arctic (AOE 8) and USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).
Following a shore assignment with Joint Staff J2, Deputy Directorate for Targets, he served as USS Wasp (LHD 1) Hangar Officer, Mini Boss and Officer of the Deck Underway. After transitioning to the MH-60S helicopter in 2008, he joined Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two Eight (HSC-28) as Detachment Officer in Charge aboard USS Wasp and USS Nassau (LHA 4) as well as Operations Officer.
CAPT Burfield was then assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Strategy and Plans Division (OPNAV N3/N5) as Special Technical Operations Officer before reporting to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Five (HSC-5) “Night Dippers” in 2015. As executive officer of the “Night Dippers,” he deployed with Carrier Air Wing Seven aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). He later served as commanding officer of HSC-5 until 2017 when he joined Carrier Strike Group FOUR as Assistant Chief of Staff for Training and Assessments to assist with deployment certification exercises.
In his new role as commanding officer, CAPT Burfield said he would continue to build on the foundations of leadership laid by his predecessor and provide the best service possible to Pax River’s mission partners thanks to the teamwork exemplified by those on “Team Pax.”
“To the Pax professionals, I offer my heartfelt gratitude for everything you’ve done already over my year-and-a-half here as XO,” CAPT Burfield said. “Our mission continues – to provide the finest support to our mission partners across three bases. Our goal is to be the finest base in the Navy, to provide a safe and secure environment from which to launch operational capabilities, as well as the best vital Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation for the future of Naval Aviation. It’s our teamwork, along with our professionalism and enthusiasm, that will set us apart as the premier Naval installation.”
The ceremony not only served as a change of command for Pax River, but also as a reflection of outgoing commanding officer CAPT Kingsley’s career as he retires after 27 years of naval service.
During the change of command ceremony, officiating officer RADM Nancy Lacore, commandant of Naval District Washington, highlighted Kingsley’s abilities while in the unique position of leadership at Pax River.
“The diversity and prominence of today’s gathering is really a testament to the relationships that [CAPT Kingsley] forged during his time here, both inside and outside the fence line, and he makes it clear that he lives up to his reputation as a collaborative leader and a true partner,” RADM Lacore said. “A strategic asset, a hub of innovation and excellence, Pax River’s contributions are vital to Naval Aviation, particularly in developing and testing cutting edge technology and advanced tactical approaches. Leading such a significant installation is a big responsibility, one that DK embraced and executed with a remarkable skill and dedication.”
RADM Lacore then cited Kingsley for his specific achievements as Pax River’s commanding officer and presented him with the Legion of Merit for his efforts.
