| David A. Welch | |
| Nickname: | Dave |
| Birth Place: | Peoria, Illinois |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 19872021 |
| Rank: | Rear Admiral (lower half) |
| Commands: | Carrier Strike Group 15 Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center Surface Warfare Officers School Command Destroyer Squadron 31 |
| Awards: | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) |
| Alma Mater: | United States Naval Academy (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Children: | 4 |
David Andrew Welch (born 1961)[1] is a retired United States Navy rear admiral and surface warfare officer who last served as the 74th commander of Carrier Strike Group 15 from June 13, 2019 to June 11, 2021. He previously served as the 3rd commander of the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center from May 8, 2018 to May 31, 2019, with command tours as commodore of Destroyer Squadron 31 from January 2011 to July 2012 and commanding officer of from September 2005 to April 2007.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] He also served on the staff of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Director of International Engagement from December 2017 to April 2018.
A native of Peoria, Illinois, Welch is a graduate of Limestone Community High School. He received his commission from the United States Naval Academy in 1987, where he earned a B.S. degree in English. He earned an M.A. degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California in 1994, and was a 2014 fellow in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar 21 program. He and his wife Mercedes have four children, two of whom (sons Benjamin and Geoffrey) are also in the Navy.[9] [10] [11] [12]
He retired from the Navy in June 2021 after 34 years of service.[4]
| Surface Warfare Officer Pin | |||||
| Legion of Merit with two award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars | ||||
| Joint Service Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two award stars | |||
| Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars | Navy "E" Ribbon, 4th award | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star | |||
| Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |||
| Armed Forces Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service star | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | |||
| Command at Sea insignia | |||||