United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has announced that Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus will be promoted to the rank of Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

“I am honored to serve my country and to receive this promotion from the Secretary of Defense,” Neuhaus said. “This would not be possible without the unwavering support of my family, my staff, and the brave men and women that I am proud to work alongside in the Armed Forces of the United States. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be of service to my country in the Navy Reserves, while also serving my fellow residents of Orange County.”

The County Executive’s promotion is a “merit selection”, which means he will be elevated ahead of his peers. Neuhaus will become a Commander effective October 1.

Neuhaus became a commissioned Officer in the Navy in December of 2007. He served on active duty earlier this year in Europe with the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Sixth Fleet is the Navy’s operational fleet and staff of the U.S. Naval Forces in Europe and Africa.

Neuhaus was previously on active duty with the U.S. Navy from November of 2018 to June of 2019. During that time, he served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, spending most of his deployment in various locations throughout Iraq in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S. Military Campaign against ISIS.

The County Executive also served overseas in South Korea in 2017 and North Africa in 2011.

Neuhaus is finishing up his obligation with the Navy in the Pacific this week at Rimpac, the world’s largest maritime exercise. It involves 26 nations, 38 surface ships, four submarines, nine national land forces, more than 170 aircraft and approximately 25,000 personnel.