Phoenix Navy Week 2010 will have a Flag Officer as our spokesperson. In addition to the Admiral, there could be guest appearances from a Namesake Crew plus the Navy "Leap Frog" Parachute Team, Navy Band and other outstanding local Sailors.

Rear Admiral Barry L. Bruner graduated from Arizona State University and received his commission from Officer Candidate School (OCS) in May 1981. Following OCS and selection for submarine warfare, he attended Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Fla., and Prototype Training in West Milton, N.Y.

Bruner's initial sea tours include reactor controls assistant; chemistry and radiological controls and main propulsion assistant and weapons officer aboard USS Pollack (SSN-603), where he completed three Western Pacific deployments. He served as navigator and operations officer aboard USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658)(GOLD), where he completed five strategic deterrent patrols and as executive officer aboard USS Newport News (SSN-750) completing a Mediterranean deployment in support of operation Sharp Guard. Bruner was commanding officer of USS Florida (SSBN-728)(Gold) from July 1998 to March 2001. During his tour he completed four strategic deterrent patrols. Florida was selected as the top SSBN in the pacific fleet for 1999 and 2000, and the top SSBN in the Navy for 2000.

Significant shore and staff duty include Naval Post Graduate School, where he graduated with Masters of Science degrees in Oceanography and Meteorology, the Naval Academy as a company officer, an action officer on the submarine directorate of the Navy Staff, Pacific Fleet Submarine Prospective Commanding Officer instructor, as a division chief on the Joint Staff and executive assistant to the assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. Bruner was next assigned as commander of Submarine Squadron 7 at Pearl Harbor. He then served as chief of staff of commander, Carrier Strike Group 5/Task Group 70 and 75 in Yokosuka, Japan. His most recent assignment was Director, Operations Division, Office of Budget for the Department of the Navy.

Among the awards Bruner is most proud of are the numerous Battle Efficiency awards his shipmates have earned over the years.

Rear Admiral Barry L. Bruner
Commander, Submarine Group 10

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Rear Admiral Robin L. Graf is a native of Simsbury, Conn. She attended Cornell University, graduating in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She was commissioned in 1981 upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. Graf earned a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Illinois Benedictine University in 1988. She was awarded a diploma from the College of Command and Staff from the Naval War College in 2001 and completed the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education curriculum at the Joint Forces Staff College in 2006.

Graf’s initial assignment was as communications watch officer at Naval Communications Area Master Station, Naples, Italy and officer in charge of the Satellite Communications Facility at Lago DiPatria, Italy. Following this overseas tour, she was assigned to Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. where she served as a company officer and taught Navigation and Personnel Administration. Graf transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1986.

Graf’s Navy Reserve assignments have included tours with Naval Weapons Support Center, Crane, Ind., Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity Long Beach, Calif., Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity Newport, R.I. and U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va. She has held commanding officer positions with Navy Reserve Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Detachment 101, Navy Reserve SIMA Newport Detachment 201, Navy Reserve Ashore Mobile Contingency Communications 4 Driver 401, Readiness Unit 802 Bronx, N.Y., Navy Reserve AO-186 Platte, Navy Reserve Personnel Mobilization Team 906, Navy Reserve Navy Activities United Kingdom Detachment 408, Navy Reserve Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Detachment 106, Norfolk, Va., and Navy Reserve Supreme Allied Command Transformation Detachment 205, Buffalo, N.Y.

Graf was mobilized to active duty and deployed to Ramadi, Iraq with Task Force Ramadi from February to November 2008. She was subsequently assigned to the J9 Directorate at U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va. In October 2009, Graf reported as deputy commander, Navy Recruiting Command.

Graf is designated a Fleet Marine Force officer. Her personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), and several other unit and personal decorations.

Rear Admiral Robin L. Graf
Deputy Commander,
Navy Recruiting Command

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Captain Robert George Kopas was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Phoenix, Arizona where he was a 1980 graduate of Brophy College Preparatory High School.  Captain Kopas attended Purdue University on an NROTC Scholarship and was graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and immediately commissioned as an Ensign, U.S. Navy in May 1984.  He has also received a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Arts degree (with distinction) in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. 

Captain Kopas' tours of duty at sea include: USS SAN BERNARDINO (LST 1189) as Communications Officer, Electronics Material Officer, and Auxiliaries Officer; USS ANCHORAGE (LSD 36) as Operations Officer; USS COMSTOCK (LSD 45) as Executive Officer; USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD 6) as Operations Officer; and as Commanding Officer, USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49).  Additionally, he served on the staff of Commander, THIRD Fleet as Future Scheduling Officer. 

Ashore, Captain Kopas served as a student at the Naval Postgraduate School, as a Mahan Scholar at the Naval War College, on the staff of Commander, Amphibious Squadron SEVEN as Operations Officer and at the United States Naval Academy as an instructor and the Executive Assistant to the Director, Character Development Division.Immediately prior to reporting to MAKIN ISLAND,Assistant Chief Of Staff for Computers, Communications, Command & Control, Intelligence Systems and Combat Systems (C5I) for Commander, Naval Surface Forces (SURFOR).  

He reported to his current assignment as Commanding Officer of USS MAKIN ISLAND in November 2005. He holds the distinction of being a plank-owner on USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD 6) and now on USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8). 

Captain Kopas has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (two awards), and various service and campaign ribbons. 

Captain Robert G. Kopas
Commanding Officer, USS
MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8)

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