CDR Michael DeBoer
Commanding Officer, USS Asheville
Commander Mike DeBoer serves as commanding officer of USS ASHEVILLE (SSN 758), a forward deployed, Los Angeles-Class attack submarine homeported in Apra Harbor, Guam.
Commander DeBoer is a native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. He enlisted in the Navy as a Sonar Technician (Surface) in 2001, before attending the US Naval Academy (USNA). In 2007, he graduated from USNA, completing a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.
Commander DeBoer’s at sea assignments include the Guided Missile and Special Operations Submarine USS OHIO (SSGN 726)(GOLD) from 2008-2011 where he served as Reactor Controls Assistant, Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection Officer, and Assistant Weapons Officer, and completed five SSGN mission cycles to the Western Pacific. From 2013-2016 Commander DeBoer served as Navigator and Operations Officer of USS PROVIDENCE (SSN 719) where he completed a Central Command deployment. Most recently, from 2019-2021, Commander DeBoer served as Executive Officer of USS ALEXANDRIA (SSN 757) where he completed a Western Pacific deployment.
Ashore, Commander DeBoer served on the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, US Pacific Fleet from 2011-2013 as Submarine Watch Officer and Assistant Special Operations Officer. From 2016-2019, he served at Navy Personnel Command as Submarine Post-Department Head Detailer and Executive Assistant to PERS-4. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Branch Head, Officer Policy (N131B) on the OPNAV staff from 2022-2023.
Commander DeBoer is authorized to wear the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal, as well as various other unit and operational awards.
Commander DeBoer earned Masters’ of Arts degrees in Military History from Norwich University (2011, with Honors), National Security Studies with an emphasis in the Asia-Pacific from the Naval War College (2018, with Distinction), and National Security Strategy from the National War College (2022, Distinguished Graduate). He received General George C. Kenney Prize from the Naval War College in 2016 for excellence in airpower scholarship and the Navy League Award for writing excellence in 2022 from the National War College.