Vice Admiral Brad Cooper
Commander
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper is the son of a career Army officer. He is a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University. He has also studied national security policy and international relations at Harvard and Tufts Universities.
A career Surface Warfare Officer, he served on guided-missile cruisers, guided-missile destroyers, aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. His ship commands include USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64). Cooper is particularly proud of the extraordinary men and women with whom he served on sea duty during nine deployments and 13 real-world operations all around the globe. His amazing Sailors aboard Gettysburg earned the Battenberg Cup as the best ship, submarine or aircraft carrier in the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet.
Ashore, he served in a variety of executive, military assistant and special assistant roles in the White House, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters. He also served as principal U.S. Advisor to the Interior Minister of Afghanistan and Director, Surface Warfare Officer assignments (Pers-41).
As a flag officer, he most recently served as commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic. Previous tours include service as Chief of Legislative Affairs, where he led the Navy’s engagement efforts with the U.S. Congress; commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea during the height of tensions on the Korean Peninsula in 2016-2017; and, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7 in Okinawa, Japan, where he led 7th Fleet’s Navy and Marine Corps team on the U.S. military’s first F-35 deployment.
Cooper has been recognized with various personal and unit-level awards including the Distinguished Service Medal and Bronze Star Medal. He is a recipient of the Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Award for Visionary Leadership.
Commodore Adrian Fryer
Deputy Commander
Born in Manchester and spending the majority of his formative years on Anglesey, Adrian Fryer was educated at Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones in Amlwch and gained a BSc(Hons) in Maritime Geography from Cardiff University before joining the Royal Navy.
A warfare officer, specializing as a PWOA and then AAWO, sea appointments have been predominantly to destroyers but also include the Hunt, River and T23 Class. He has a wide range of operational experience from tours in Northern Ireland, where he led over 750 counter-terrorist boardings, the South Atlantic and the Middle East.
Sea Commands have included the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS TYNE on Fishery Protection duties, and the Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel HMS CLYDE, protecting British interests in the South Atlantic. He assumed Command of HMS DAUNTLESS in 2012, completed the first T45 Capability Upgrade Period followed by regeneration and a successful Kipion 1 deployment as Air and Missile Defence Commander to the USS Carl Vinson BG conducting counter IS operations in the Gulf.
He has completed tours on the staff of Flag Officer Sea Training as the Above water lead, in the Headquarters as EA to ACNS CAP, in the US War College as the sole non-US military professor responsible for the delivery of Joint Military Operations training and the Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies to US Joint Services. He was also the mentor for USN CO Desigs in Command and Leadership.
Returning from the US in 2018, he was appointed as EA to 2SL then took up assignment as Captain Patrol, Underwater Exploitation and Diving in Dec 19 and from there, in Mar 21 he deployed to Bahrain and assumed Command of Coalition Task Force Sentinel and the International Maritime Security Construct.
He assumes the role of UK Maritime Component Commander/Deputy Commander Combined Maritime Forces in January 2022.
He is an alumnus of both the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Shrivenham) and the Naval Command Course at the US Naval War College, Newport.
Family life with two young children happily dominates most of his time, but he is also a keen sportsman who enjoys mountain biking, road cycling, motorbiking, scuba diving and snowboarding.
Captain Morgan Roberts
Chief of Staff
Captain Morgan Roberts is a native of Norfolk, Virginia and is a 2000 graduate of The Citadel (The Military College of South Carolina). He holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
His sea tours consisted of serving as the auxiliary officer and electrical officer aboard USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), the navigator and assistant operations officer aboard USS Spruance (DD 963), and the chief engineer aboard USS Cole (DDG 67). He then served as the executive officer and commanding officer of MCM crew leader, embarking five different Avenger-class hulls with three deployments to Bahrain. He was executive officer then commanding officer of USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) completing a record-setting sustainment phase and being the first guided-missile destroyer to undock early during the ship’s first overhaul.
Roberts’ shore duty consisted of him serving as the exercise planner and executive officer for U.S. European Command’s Interagency Partnering Directorate, and as flag aide to the commander of Naval Network and Space Operations Command.
Roberts reported to Combined Maritime Forces in July 2020 and is currently serving as the chief of staff.
His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and three Battle “E” awards, among a variety of unit and campaign awards.
Sergeant Major Cortez L. Brown
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
Sergeant Major Cortez L. Brown was born in East Saint Louis, Illinois, and he enlisted into the Marine Corps on 19 August 1988 from Denver, Colorado. In September 1988, upon graduation from Lincoln Sr. High School, he reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, California, for recruit training.
He graduated from MCRD San Diego in December 1988 and reported to the School of Infantry (SOI) at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, California. After completion of the SOI, Pvt Brown was assigned to Marine Barracks Guam, Marine Security Guard Force Marinna Inlands and became a Marine Security Guard. In September 1990, LCpl Brown reported for duty with Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9), MCB Camp Pendleton, California, as an infantry rifleman.
While with 1/9, LCpl Brown deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and participated in Operation FIERY VIGIL as well as Operations DESERT STORM and SHIELD. In September 1992, as a newly promoted corporal, he was involuntarily separated from the Marine Corps as a result of Marine Corps Forces Reduction.
In February 1996, Sgt Brown was afforded the opportunity to come back on active duty as a lance corporal. After reporting to Meridian, Mississippi, he obtained the new military occupation specialty of Maintenance Administration Specialist. After graduating from Maintenance Administration School, he reported to Heavy Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Tustin, California, for duty. He served as a Maintenance Administration Clerk. In November 1996, he was promoted to the rank of corporal. From March 1997 to August 1999, Cpl Brown was part of two six-month unit deployment programs with HMH-465 to MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan.
In November 1998, while on deployment in Okinawa, Japan, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and became a noncommissioned officer-in-charge (NCOIC) of the Squadron Data Analyst for HMH-465. In 1999, Sgt Brown was assigned the billet of Central Technical Publications Librarian. In September 2000, he was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. In April 2001, SSgt Brown volunteered for drill instructor duty and attended Drill Instructor School at MCRD San Diego, California. After graduating from Drill Instructor School, SSgt Brown was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, where he completed 10 cycles and held the billets of Senior Drill Instructor and Series Chief Drill Instructor.
In September 2004, after successful completion of his tour as a drill instructor, SSgt Brown received orders to Marine Aircraft Logistic Squadron-16 at MCAS Miramar, California. Upon arrival, he was re-assigned to HMH-465, MCAS Miramar, California, to assume the duty of Maintenance Administration Chief. During his time with HMH-465, he deployed twice to Iraq. In September 2005, while on his second deployment in Iraq, Operation IRAQ FREEDOM 05-08, he was promoted to the rank of gunnery sergeant. In January 2008, GySgt Brown was hand-selected to become the Marine Aircraft Group-16 Personnel Support Detachment acting first sergeant. After assuming this position, he deployed for the third time to Al Asad, Iraq.
In March 2009, after returning from Al Asad, he was promoted to the rank of first sergeant with an assignment to 23rd Marine Regiment in San Bruno, California. He was assigned as the site first sergeant, where he performed Inspector and Instructor (1&1) duties for both Headquarters Company and Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. During this period, 1st Sgt Brown received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Management from Columbia Southern University in 2011. 1st Sgt Brown remained at this command until August 2012. In September 2012, 1st Sgt Brown received orders to 5th Battalion, 11th Marines (5/11), 1st Marine Division, at MCB Camp Pendleton, California, for duties as a Battery First Sergeant for Tango Battery.
In May 2013, 1st Sgt Brown was promoted to his current rank of sergeant major and received orders to become the Battalion Sergeant Major for 1st Battalion, 11th Marines (1/11). In December 2015, SgtMaj Brown stood detached from 1/11 and reported to Recruiting Station (RS) Charleston in December 2015 to assume all duties as the RS Sergeant Major. In June 2017, SgtMaj Brown received orders to 6th Marine Corps District (6MCD) to assume all duties and responsibilities as the District Sergeant Major. In July 2019, SgtMaj Brown assumed all duties and responsibilities as the sergeant major of Marine Corps Recruiting Command. In August 2021, SgtMaj Brown received orders to Combined Maritime Forces Command (CMF), Manama, Bahrain, for duties as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL).
His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 2 gold stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a gold star.