CNATRA R.C. Leadership

Assistant Chief of Staff

Captain Bernard (Vince) Spozio is a native of Shippenville, Pennsylvania. He received his commission in 1999 from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and in 2001 was designated a naval aviator. He is a graduate of the United States Naval War College and the Joint Forces Staff College Joint Professional Military Education Phase II.

Spozio's operational assignments include two tours with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fifteen (HM-15) "Blackhawks" and a tour with Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen (HM-14) "Vanguard".

With HM-15 he deployed aboard USS Duluth (LPD 6) for RIMPAC 2002, USS Cleveland (LPD 7) in 2003 to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and to the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With HM-14 he deployed to Haiti in 2010 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Bataan (LHD 5), flying heavy lift and search and rescue missions in support of Operation Unified Response. He then deployed to the Republic of Korea in 2011 as Officer-in-Charge of HM-14 Det 1, in support of Commander, Seventh Fleet.

Spozio's shore assignments include an instructor pilot tour with Helicopter Training Squadron Eighteen (HT-18), Special Technical Operations planner with the Joint Staff J-7, and military faculty member and instructor with the Joint Forces Staff College Joint and Combined Warfighting School.

His command tours include Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 (HM-15), where he led the Navy's largest operational helicopter squadron, and Navy Reserve Center San Antonio, where his team won three consecutive large Navy Reserve Center of the Year Awards.

Spozio has flown more than 3,200 flight hours, with over 300 hours of night vision goggle time, and is a recipient of the Sikorsky Winged-S Rescue Award. He holds a Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College and is certified as a Joint Qualified Officer.

He has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and numerous personal, unit, and campaign awards.

He reported to Chief of Naval Air Training as the ACOS for Reserve Affairs in July 2025.