Commanding Officer

Captain Scott A. Bunnay, a native of Castro Valley, California, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering. He earned his Naval Aviator wings of gold in July 1994.

Operationally, CAPT Bunnay was first assigned to the VAQ-135 “Black Ravens” flying the EA-6B Prowler and deployed as part of CVW-11 supporting Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and DESERT FOX. As a department head, CAPT Bunnay reported to the VAQ-136 “Gauntlets,” part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces in Atsugi, Japan, where he deployed as part of CVW-5 supporting Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and earned the Battle “E” in 2004. In his final operational tour, CAPT Bunnay reported to VAQ-132 as Executive Officer and fleeted up to become Commanding Officer of the “Scorpions” in April 2009. He led VAQ-132 through the first fleet transition from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G Growler and earned the Battle “E” for 2010.

Ashore, Bunnay was assigned to the Combined Air Operations Center of NATO’s 5th Allied Tactical Air Force in Vicenza, Italy, serving as the Electronic Warfare Coordination Cell Chief in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE. CAPT Bunnay’s two instructor pilot tours in the EA-6B Fleet Replacement Squadron, VAQ-129, were as NATOPS Evaluator and Executive Officer. CAPT Bunnay served on The Joint Staff (J6), Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems (C4 Systems) as an Action Officer in the Director’s Action Group. In the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, he led the strategic bi-lateral relationship with the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the development and interagency coordination of the first Department of Defense Arctic Strategy. CAPT Bunnay again served as an instructor pilot when he was the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Meridian from 2014-2017.  In his most recent tour of duty, CAPT Bunnay was the Senior Defense Official and Defense and Naval Attaché at U.S. Embassy Rome from 2018-2021.

CAPT Bunnay earned a Master of Science Degree in the Management of Information Technology from the University of Virginia and completed a Federal Executive Fellowship with the RAND Corporation.

Participating in operations and exercises around the world, CAPT Bunnay accumulated over 3,000 flight hours and 598 carrier landings. His citations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and various other individual and unit level awards.