The Navy has wonderful duty stations all over the world from Rota, Spain to Atsugi, Japan and everywhere in between. A common theme among the local Navy leaders interviewed so far when asked why they chose Coronado as their top pick, is that their answers always include their love of the welcoming Coronado community. That was no different for Coronado Cays resident Cmdr. David Walton, Commanding Officer of USS Jackson (LCS 6). While selection for command requires you to go wherever the Navy needs you, Cmdr. Walton was very happy it brought him to San Diego. His ship is pier-side at Naval Station San Diego and he elected to live in the Coronado Cays, saying, “Coronado is a great community and I really wanted somewhere quiet with enough space to have a yard for our dog; we found that in the Cays.”
A career surface warfare officer, Walton has served aboard various types of ships, including a guided missile cruiser, two frigates, an amphibious ship, as well as having command of four Patrol Coastal ships prior to taking command of Jackson.
Walton grew up the son of a Navy Supply Officer moving all over the world, but considers Virginia Beach his hometown after having lived there six different times through his life. A graduate of The Citadel, Walton earned his Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and his commission into the Navy through their Naval Reserve Officer Training Program. When I asked him what made him want to join the Navy, he shared, “I was around the military my whole life, and I wanted the structure the military provided me to continue moving forward in life.” He credits the Boy Scouts (Walton is an Eagle Scout) and The Citadel for developing his leaderships skills that set him up for success in his Navy career.
Walton enjoys sharing his love of scouts with his boys, Trey, a freshman at Coronado High School, and Mason, a fifth grader at Silver Strand Elementary. Aside from scouts, the Walton family loves surfing together and playing soccer with the Nado select soccer program. Walton believes Coronado is a perfect fit for his family saying, “The welcoming community, the great schools, sports programs and weather have made this tour fantastic for the family.”
As the Commanding Officer for the third Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Walton is responsible for leading 80 Sailors aboard his aluminum trimaran designed ship outfitted with reconfigurable payloads called mission modules (made up of mission systems and support equipment), which can be changed out quickly. According to the Navy website, “these modules combine with crew detachments and aviation assets to become complete mission packages that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles and sensors in support of mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare or surface warfare missions.”
USS Jackson has been designated as the training ship for the Independence class LCS ships in Surface Warfare Division ELEVEN, responsible for preparing LCS crews for deployment. Walton shared his favorite thing about being in command saying “It’s watching my Sailors succeed… those times watching a Sailor that struggles with one facet of career or life and being able to help guide them to achieve what you know they are capable of.”
