Bahner - The Patuxent Partnership

Commander Christopher Bahner
A native of Westminster, MD, Commander
Bahner was commissioned to the United
States Navy on Feb 14, 1997 through the
Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Pensacola,
FL. From 1999 to 2002, Commander Bahner
served as an Electronic Countermeasures
Officer in VAQ-135 Whidbey Island, WA
deploying in support of Operation Northern
Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom.
After graduating from the United States Naval
Test Pilot School in December 2003, he
served as a Test Naval Flight Officer with VX23, Patuxent River, MD from 2004 to 2006.
Commander Bahner completed Prowler
Tactics Instructor training at Whidbey Island,
WA in 2006 and reported to VAQ-140 as the
squadron Training Officer from 2006 to 2008,
deploying in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
From 2008 to 2010 Commander Bahner served with VAQ-139 as the Tactics, Operations and
Maintenance Officer deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From 2010 to 2012
Commander Bahner served as a Maritime Operations and Planning Officer with
USNORTHCOM's Standing Joint Force Headquarters and J3 supporting National Guard
Headquarters in the continental United States.
As a newly transitioned EA-18G squadron, Commander Bahner led the World Famous Rooks of
VAQ-137 as their Commanding Officer from February 2014 to May 2015 in support of Operation
Inherent Resolve and 5th Fleet operations. Commander Bahner currently serves as the EA18G and Naval Aviation Mission Planning Requirements Officer for OPNAV N98.
Commander Bahner has over 2800 flight hours and 560 traps in various aircraft. He has been
recognized as the Association of Naval Aviation Tactical Aircrew of the year 2007 and Electronic
Warfare Tactics Instructor of the year 2008. His personal awards include the Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (seven strike/flight awards),
Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards/combat ‘V’), and Navy Achievement
Medal (three awards).
Commander Bahner has earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering
from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY, a certificate of completion for Information
Operations from the Naval Post Graduate School Monterey, CA and a Master of Science
Degree in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee Space Institute Tullahoma, TN.