Cmdr. Fichter, a native of Dale City, Virginia and son of a retired Master Chief Petty Officer, graduated from Virginia Tech in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. He was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program and began flight training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida. He received his flight wings and earned his designation as a naval flight officer at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas in 2003.  He completed initial Fleet Replacement Squadron training for the P-3C Orion aircraft at Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30) at NAS Jacksonville, Florida in April 2004.
 
Fichter’s sea duties include a tour with Patrol Squadron 5 (VP-5) where he earned his qualifications as instructor tactical coordinator, Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) evaluator, and mission commander.  He underwent two deployments and multiple detachments in support of 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th Fleets’ flying combat missions over Iraq, Kosovo, Somalia and the Philippines in support of Operations Active Endeavor, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.  Fichter served as an aircraft launch and recovery officer, also known as “Shooter,” onboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) for his second sea tour out of Norfolk, Virginia, deploying to the 5^th and 6^th Fleets’ area of responsibility (AOR).  Following transition to the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, Fichter reported to Patrol Squadron 45 (VP-45) for department head duty at NAS Jacksonville, Florida.  He served as the maintenance officer undergoing deployments to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and NAS Sigonella, Italy, in support of 6^th and 7^th Fleets operations.  Most recently, he served as detachment officer-in-charge for Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 12 out of Naval Air Base Coronado, California.  He conducted two deployments aboard USS America (LHA-6) as air resources element coordinator in support of forward deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrols with Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 and 31^st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
 
His assignments ashore include serving as the theater anti-submarine warfare exercise, operations and plans officer for Commander, Task Force 67 (CTF-67) in NAS Sigonella, Italy.  Fichter served as a fleet replacement squadron instructor for the P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon aircrafts while assigned to Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30).  Following his operational department head tour, he served as the maintenance officer and P-8A Poseidon assistant operational test director for Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VX-1) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where he oversaw the maintenance and operational test efforts for six different type/model/series aircraft and 11 operational test programs, including eight acquisition category I priorities.
 
Fichter currently serves as executive officer for Naval Leadership and Ethics Command San Diego. He has accumulated more than 3,200 flight hours in the P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon aircrafts, and is authorized to wear the Meritorious Service Medal (second award), Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (fourth award), and Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (second award).
 

Last Updated: 6 May 2022