Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Watts

Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Grace Watts, known as Liz to her friends and colleagues, is the Executive Officer of the USS Arizona. LCDR Watts is the first female in the United States Navy to serve as the Executive Officer of a US Navy Submarine and is one of the few lucky officers to have been able to attend the Royal Navy's Perisher course for prospective commanding officers. LCDR Watts hopes to continue on to become the US Navy's first female submarine commander.

Physical Appearance

LCDR Watts is just above average female height at 5'6" and weighs in at approximately 125lbs. She is a brunette with generally shoulder length hair that is kept up in a neat bun or ponytail when in uniform to meet uniform regulations. She has bright blue eyes that are her favorite feature.

History

Liz was born in August of 1991 at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Connecticut to Henry and Julia Watts. Liz's parents were living in Groton, Connecticut while her father was assigned to the Naval Submarine School (NSS) as an instructor. Her mother was a native to New London where the two had met while Henry was a young Ensign going through NSS. With Henry scheduled for a tour ashore they had requested Groton so they could be near Julia's family as they planned to have a child.

The Submarine Service was ironically a much larger part of her mother's family than her father's who was in the Navy. The service was, however, important to both sides though her father's family was all Army and Air Force. With the most exposure to her mother's family who made a lot of effort to be apart of the lives of Liz and her parents and traveling often to visit she was in awe of the submarine service from a young age and proud to have her father, her grandfather, and her uncle all serving in the submarine service. She was brought up to be a staunch patriot, believe that service to both the community and country were important, and knew she wanted to be in the military too.

Her childhood brought her to Virginia Beach, Virginia by age of three, and at seven she moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. At age thirteen While visiting family in New London a tragic car accident claimed the life of her mother and father. Her grandparents moved out to Hawaii until the end of the school year and by the time she was fourteen she was back in New London residing with her Grandparents who were her new legal guardians.

Service Record

JUL 2009 - MAY 2013 – US Naval Academy, Midshipman – B.S. in Political Science/International Relations with Honors, Minor in Chinese.  – Graduated with Honors, Commissioned Ensign.

JUL 2013 - NOV 2014– Student, Naval Nuclear Power School (Charleston SC); Student, Naval Power Training Unit (Charleston SC); Student, Submarine Officer Basic Course (Groton CT) – During this time she is promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade

NOV 2014 - JUN 2017 – USS Maine (SSBN-741), Blue Crew, Naval Base Kitsap – Communications Officer, Assistant Weapons Officer – During this time she was promoted to Lieutenant, Gained Qualifications as a Submarine Warfare Officer, Officer of the Deck (Submerged/Surfaced), Engineering Officer of the Watch, Diving Officer, Duty Officer (in port)

JUN 2017 - JAN 2018 – Student, Submarine Officer Advanced Course (Groton CT)

JAN 2018 - MAY 2020 – Fleet Scholar Education Program (FSEP) – University of Washington, Seattle, WA – Masters in Public Administration in Leadership and Decision Making Magna cum laude

JUL 2020 - JUL 2023 – USS North Carolina (SSN-777), Pearl Harbor, HI – Navigator – Successfully Screened for Executive Officer, Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Assigned additional duties of Senior Watch Officer

JUL 2023 - JUN 2024 – Submarine Group 9, Naval Station Kitsap, WA – Submarine Group Operations Officer – Screening for Prospective Commanding Officer program complete, inducted PCO.

SEP 2023 - MAY 2024 – Naval War College, Fleet Seminar Program – Joint Professional Military Education (Phase I)

MAY 2024 - MAR 2025 – PCU Arizona (PCU-803), Pre-commissioning Executive Officer

JAN 2025 - APR 2025 – Temporary Duty Assignment Royal Navy (UK) – Submarine Command Course– Graduate of the famous "Perisher" Submarine Command Course. – Given full PCO status by US Navy and qualified for command.

APR 2025 - Present – USS Arizona (SSN-803), Executive Officer