Capt. Robert “Bob” Sanders relieved Capt. Jeffrey Maclay as commanding officer of Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Friday.
Sanders has been executive officer of NAS Jacksonville since June 2010. He becomes the 44th commanding officer of the master air and industrial base in West Jacksonville along the St. Johns River.
Sanders grew up in Boonton, N.J., and graduated from Rutgers University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He received his Navy commission through Officer Candidate School in September 1987 and was designated a naval flight officer in January 1989.
Among his service, he served two deployments during Operation Desert Shield and tours flying combat missions in support of Operation Deliberate Guard and in support of Operation Southern Watch.
He also was an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as “Top Gun.”
In September 2004, he reported to the VFA-154 “Black Knights” in Lemoore, Calif., as the executive officer and assumed command in January 2006.
During that command, he made deployments on board USS Carl Vinson and USS John C. Stennis flying combat missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
He graduated from the National War College with a master’s degree in National Security Strategy, reporting to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal among many others.
Sanders lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Kathy, and their three children.
Maclay’s next move is to attend the Joint and Combined Warfighting School in Norfolk, Va., and he will receive follow-up orders after graduation.
During his tour as commanding officer, NAS Jacksonville executed more than $400 million in construction contracts, earned the Commander, Navy Installation Command’s Installation Excellence Award, the Secretary of the Navy’s fiscal year 2011 Energy and Water Management Award and many other awards.
The new executive officer at NAS Jacksonville is Capt. Roy Undersander.
The similar names of the new CO and XO drew comment from the guest speaker, Rear Adm. Townsend “Tim” Alexander.
With Capt. Undersander working with Capt. Sanders, he said, “It’s just too perfect.”
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