Christopher D. Thayer​
Director, Maritime Operations
30 April 2024
Mr. Thayer was appointed Director, Maritime Operations (DMO) at the Military Sealift Command in January, 2021, following his four year tenure as Director, Ship Management (DSM). While serving as DSM, he was responsible for overall strategic program planning, life cycle planning, force structure analysis, acquisition, POM/budget development, and resource allocation for the operation and maintenance of more than 100 ships in the MSC fleet.
As DMO, Mr. Thayer is the principal advisor to the Commander on all matters pertaining to force employment, and is responsible for strategic planning, force structure analysis and resource allocation matters that support short and long term force employment for Fleet, OPNAV, and USTRANSCOM requirements. He has supervisory oversight of Intel, Logistics, C4I, Engineering and Contracting functional areas as well as the MSC Maritime Operations Center (MOC). Mr. Thayer manages a portfolio of approximately $500 million annual direct/indirect cost authority.
Mr. Thayer was appointed to the Senior Executive Service as the Director, Strategic Sealift and Prepositioning, Military Sealift Command in January, 2007 responsible for a portfolio of 51 ships. In January, 2012, Mr. Thayer was promoted to the MSC Director, Contractor Operated Ships with an expanded portfolio of more than 80 ships.
From August, 2000 until January, 2007, Mr. Thayer served as the Director, Strategic Planning. In this capacity, he was responsible for the command’s long range planning efforts and corporate development initiatives, new business development, government and industry relations, and oversees the command’s small and disadvantaged business program.
Mr. Thayer served as the MSC Deputy Director, Operations and Plans (N3/5) from 1996 - 1999, and was responsible for MSC vessel standard operating procedures, directing MSC operational wartime planning efforts, worldwide anti-terrorism and force protection programs and the operation of the MSC 24-hour command operations center. While in
this position, Mr. Thayer received the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award.
In 1993 Mr. Thayer was assigned as the Special Assistant to the Vice Commander, Military Sealift Command. In this position, he reviewed and advised on all Command programmatic and policy proposals and coordinated cross-functional studies and analyses.
In 1990 Mr. Thayer returned to MSC Headquarters to establish a newly formed Maritime Policy Division, with responsibility for preparing the Commander’s congressional testimony and formulating recommendations on national maritime policy issues including use of government owned ships for movement of Department of Defense cargo, and modernization of the Navy’s strategic sealift program.
Mr. Thayer began his career with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) in 1986 as a Marine Transportation Specialist in the MSC Headquarters Strategic Mobility Division, responsible for analyzing wartime operational plans and developing solutions for strategic sealift support. In 1987 Mr. Thayer transferred to the MSC European Headquarters in London and worked in the Operations and Plans Directorate as a Program Analyst. In this position, Mr. Thayer coordinated MSC wartime host nation support requirements throughout Europe to support NATO contingency plans.
Mr. Thayer retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the rank of Commander in 2005 after serving in Naval Coordination and Protection of Shipping, Military Sealift Command, Bureau of Naval Personnel, Maritime Administration, and Naval Activities, London reserve units.
Mr. Thayer is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (1983), the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business (1991) and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (2000).