Rear Admiral Matt Ott is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business with a minor in Psychology from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and commissioned through VMI’s Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Ott is a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and a graduate of the John F. Kennedy Executive School of Government, Harvard University.

His operational assignments include aviation support division officer, USS Tarawa (LHA 1); supply officer, Pre-commissioning Unit Decatur and USS Decatur (DDG 73); and supply officer, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Each of his teams earned Supply Blue “E” Awards for Excellence. During Operation Unified Response, Ott served as one of the five members of U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) Logistics Assessment Team and as Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Team’s operations officer supporting Joint Task Force-Haiti.

His shore assignments include outfitting and grooming officer, Commander, Naval Air Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet; flag aide to the Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and 41st Chief of Supply Corps; aide to the 14th Director, DLA; aircraft depot repair officer, S-3 Viking and P-3 Orion lead logistician, and director of Industrial Support Programs, Naval Inventory Control Point Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; commanding officer, DLA Defense Supply Center Philadelphia Pacific Region; director of Aviation Operations, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (WSS) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; commanding officer, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Jacksonville; chief of staff, to the Commander, NAVSUP and 48th Chief of Supply Corps.

His flag officer assignments include, special assistant for audit readiness, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller), Washington, D.C.; executive director, Operational Contract Support Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Washington, D.C; and director, Fleet Ordnance and Supply / Fleet Supply Officer (N41), U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

Ott is designated as a Naval Aviation Supply Officer and a Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer. He is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps and is a Joint Qualified Officer. Ott’s teams at NAVSUP WSS and NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville both earned the prestigious Admiral Stan Arthur Logistics Team of the Year award.

His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and various unit and campaign awards.