Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
NAVWAR, CMDCM (SW/FMF/AW)
Following his initial sea tour, he chose to convert to Cryptologic Technician Collection (CTR), attending CTR “A” School and subsequently the Advanced Analysis and Reporting “C” school. He was then assigned to Navy Information Operation Command, Georgia, where he was the lead analyst for a demanding target shop. While there, he attained the rank of First Class Petty Officer. As a result, he was selected to fill a billet as the NonCommissioned Officer in Charge of a department of 125 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marine.
After his shore tour, Command Master Chief Rucker was assigned to the Direct Support Shop at Fleet information Operations Command, Georgia, and, in Feb. 2004, he was attached to USS SAIPAN (LHA2), preparing them for their Persian Gulf deployment. In Sept. 2004, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of SEAL Teams 3 and 5. Following the successful deployment, he attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
Command Master Chief Rucker accepted orders to USS PELELIU (LHA5) where he earned his Enlisted Aviation Warfare Designation. He served as OT Division LCPO and OI Division LCPO, attained the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, and became the Operations Department LCPO. He deployed to Iraq from 2009 to 2010 in a Joint GSA assignment where he was the Senior NCOIC for 26 joint personnel across the country. While there, he was selected into the CMDCS/CMC Program.
Command Master Chief Rucker graduated from the Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat course in 2010. He reported to Navy Supply Command Puget Sound Dec 2010- Apr 2013. His 2nd CMC tour was USS McCAMPBELL from April 2013-Aug 2015. His 3rd tour was Naval Hospital Yokosuka Aug 2015 to Jun 2017. His 4th tour was Navy Medicine West/Naval Medical Forces Pacific Jun 2017 to Sept 2020. His 5th tour was 1st Marine Logistics Group Oct 2020 – Feb 2023. In March 2023, he reported as the CMC for Navy Information Warfare Systems Command.
Command Master Chief Rucker is a 2010 graduate of both the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Class 155 (Blue), and the Command Master Chief/Chief of the Boat course in Newport, Rhode Island also ELS, NSLS, and Keystone. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, Army Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, Combat Action Ribbon, and various campaign and unit awards.
NAVWAR, Executive Director
Mr. Pope serves as the Executive Director for Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR). In this role, he shares responsibility for approximately 12,000 civilian and military personnel and an annual budget of more than $9 Billion, focused on the acquisition, delivery and sustainment of major command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, enterprise information, and space systems for the Department of the Navy.
Mr. Pope was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in January 2016 and began his government career in 1983.Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Pope served as Executive Director and acting Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, and Space Systems. In this capacity, he was responsible for integrating, executing, and delivering capability in an annual $4 Billion portfolio supporting information needs for naval, joint, and coalition warfighters.
Mr. Pope is a University of Pennsylvania graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Receiving his Navy commission via the University of Pennsylvania NROTC in 1983, Mr. Pope served afloat on USS Gallery (FFG-26) where he qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer. Attending the Naval Postgraduate School, he earned a Master of Science degree with distinction in Electrical Engineering.
His ashore career experience includes significant roles in all aspects of engineering and acquisition. He was assigned to the Naval Sea Systems Command as the Test and Evaluation Officer for the joint U.S. -Australian NULKA Decoy Project. Following this tour,where he qualified as an Engineering Duty Officer, Mr. Pope served as Special Projects Officer for a CNO-directed classified program. Mr. Pope then served as Force Combat Systems Officer at Naval Surface Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet.
Mr. Pope’s tours within NAVWAR include Joint Task Group Manager, Afloat Installations Manager and Advanced Tactical Data Link Systems Engineer in the Tactical Data Link Programs Office (PMW 159). In December 2000, Mr. Pope was selected as the Deputy Program Manager for the Navy Satellite Communications Program Office (PMW 176). After serving as the fifth Commanding Officer of Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, Charleston, S.C., he returned to PEO C4Iwhere he served as the Major Program Manager of the Communications Program Office (PMW 170) and the Principal Deputy Program Executive Officer. As a plank owner of NAVWAR’s Fleet Readiness Directorate, Mr. Pope served as the Fleet Support Program Manager. After 29 years of active duty, Mr. Pope began his civilian career in 2012 as the Director for the Data Center and Application program within NAVWAR.
Mr. Pope is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and is certified Level III in Acquisition Program Management. His active duty awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Gold Star in lieu of fourth award, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star in lieu of third award, Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star in lieu of second award, Navy Unit Commendation, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Mr. Pope received the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award in June 2020.
NAVWAR, Commander
Rear Adm. Doug Small is a native of Birchwood, Wisconsin. He is a 1988 graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Physics. He also holds a doctorate degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
Small’s operational tours included mechanical division officer and main propulsion assistant on USS Camden (AOE 2), in which he deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm, as well as combat systems officer (plankowner) on USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). During Operation Iraqi Freedom he served as the first technical director of Joint Crew Composite Squadron (JCCS) 1, assembled by the Navy to assist with defeating then-prevalent radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (IED).
An engineering duty officer since 1997, Small had a number of tours in acquisition, starting at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division and then the Missile Defense Agency. Moving to the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), Small was the electronic warfare assistant and then the major program manager for above water sensors (PEO IWS 2), overseeing the development of improvements for the Navy in electronic warfare and radar. Following this tour he served as the executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.
Small’s first flag assignment, in 2016, he was the program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, where he led the team responsible for development, delivery, and sustainment of all surface navy combat and weapon systems. He assumed command of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command in August 2020, leading a global workforce of 11,000 civilian and military professionals who design, develop, install, and support Navy’s networking, communications, information, and cyber capabilities and systems.
Small’s personal awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star; unit awards include the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation and various campaign and service awards.