Cmdr. Michael S. Coppock was born in Glendora, California and raised in Laguna Niguel, California. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in political science. He received Primary Flight Training with Training Squadron (VT) 28 and Intermediate Flight Training with VT-31 at NAS Corpus Christi, TX. He then transferred to NAS Kingsville for Advanced Training with VT-21; earning designation as a naval aviator in July 2007.
Following replacement pilot training in the E-2C Hawkeye at Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120, he joined the “Tigertails” of VAW-125 in June of 2008. While with VAW-125, he completed two deployments with Carrier Air Wing 17 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2008-2011. Cmdr. Coppock served as head landing signal officer, aviation safety officer, and aircraft maintenance quality assurance officer. Following sea duty, Cmdr. Coppock conducted operational testing of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1 in Patuxent River, Maryland from 2011-2014.
In August 2014, Cmdr. Coppock reported to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) where he completed his disassociated tour as a “Shooter” from 2014-2017. He then joined the “Black Eagles” of VAW-113 for his operational department head tour onboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) for operations in the South China Sea from 2017-2020. In August 2020, Cmdr. Coppock then reported to Training Air Wing (TW) 4 in Corpus Christi as an instructor pilot in the T-6B Texan, where he also served as the Wing Safety Officer from 2020-2022.
Cmdr. Coppock has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours in six different naval aircraft. He completed Joint Professional Military Education through the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and earned his M.B.A. through Saint Leo University in Florida.
He assumed duties as Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Kingsville in December 2022.
His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards), the Humanitarian Medal, and various unit and campaign awards.
Last Updated: 10 January 2023