image: Capt. Andy “Big Tuna” Berner salutes as he prepares to be sworn in as the new Office of Naval Research Global commanding officer (CO). During a July 13, 2023, change-of-command ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, Berner took over for outgoing CO Capt. Matthew Farr. view more
Credit: (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Patrick Gordon)
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global, ONR’s international arm, welcomed new leadership today, as Capt. Andy “Big Tuna” Berner was sworn in as the new ONR Global commanding officer during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Berner takes over for Capt. Matthew Farr.
Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus served as presiding officer of the change-of-command ceremony, as well as presenter of awards.
“Learning from our partners and allies around the globe is critical to our mission of innovating for the Sailors and Marines we have the privilege of serving,” said Rothenhaus. “Thanks to the partnerships initiated by ONR Global, our Sailors and Marines have access to the latest naval research and development from around the world.”
“The past two and a half years under Capt. Farr’s watch have been truly exceptional,” he continued. “He led the charge to expand partner experimentation and start new collaborations.”
The mission of ONR Global is to strengthen the Department of the Navy’s partnerships with strategic allies around the world. The command’s origins began 80 years ago in London, England, its current headquarters. Through educational outreach, research sponsorships and collaboration with allied fleets/force commands, ONR Global is addressing the current and future needs of Sailors and Marines by cultivating, sponsoring and discovering innovation at home and abroad.
ONR Global reaches across five continents with its headquarters in London and offices in six other naval hubs — Singapore; Tokyo, Japan; Santiago, Chile; Prague, Czech Republic; São Paulo, Brazil; and Melbourne, Australia. The executive officer and other parts of the command are located within the ONR headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
While serving as chief of naval research from 2020-2023, Rear Adm. (retired) Lorin Selby worked with both Berner and Farr, and was the guest speaker at today’s ONR Global change-of-command ceremony.
“In the past few years, I’ve seen firsthand the impact ONR Global has made within the Department of the Navy,” said Selby. “We partner with our global allies to push naval innovation forward, discover new technologies and improve warfighter capabilities.”
“Because of Capt. Farr’s, and now Capt. Berner’s, leadership, we are working with the best minds in the world to keep our Sailors and Marines at a technological advantage over our adversaries, and to find solutions to the most difficult challenges they face on, above and below the water.”
Berner is in familiar territory as ONR Global’s new commanding officer. He served as the command’s executive officer since May 2021 and said he looks forward to continuing its distinguished legacy.
“I want to thank Capt. Farr for his outstanding leadership over the past two-plus years,” said Berner. “ONR Global is recognized as a world leader not only in naval research but advancing capabilities that impact all of us, and I look forward to advancing that critical mission.”
Prior to joining ONR Global, Berner was commanding officer of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command Space Field Activity, where he led the Navy Element at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), served as co-chair of the Naval NRO Coordination Group and received the NRO Gold Medal.
He graduated in 1996 from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering and a minor in Spanish, and was a member of the Pikers rowing crew. Berner also holds a Master of Science in operations research and in defense technology and systems. He is a VS-8 space operations officer and a member of the information warfare community.
Berner succeeds Farr, who had a memorable tenure as ONR Global commanding officer. Farr oversaw the Global-X Challenge, an initiative that encourages multi-disciplinary science and technology partnership in naval-relevant topics and has awarded over $2 million in prizes to six international winners to date.
Farr also helped launch the London Tech Bridge, a collaboration between the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy to sponsor dialogue, joint investment and cooperative development between the two navies.
“It has been an honor to serve the Navy, Marine Corps and nation as the leader of ONR Global,” said Farr. “I know the command will continue to explore and discover new capabilities for our Sailors and Marines, and I look forward to following their always-great work.”
Farr is detaching from ONR Global to become the military director of the Webster Outlying Field in Maryland, part of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.