David L. Brewer III
Encyclopedia
David L. Brewer is a retired Vice Admiral
of the United States Navy
and former superintendent
of the Los Angeles Unified School District
. The 35-year veteran of the Navy commanded Military Sealift Command
from August 2001 until his retirement in March 2006, and served as Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training from 1999-2001. As Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training, he is known for helping to develop the Navy College Program and negotiating contracts with 11 colleges, universities and community colleges to provide bachelor
and associate degree programs to more than 300,000 sailors. As Commander of Military Sealift Command, he is known for overseeing the massive Military Sealift Command (MSC) partnership with the private sector shipping contractors operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom which involved moving over 20000000 square feet (1,858,060.8 m²) of equipment to the Persian Gulf in less than four months. He is also known for leading the Military Sealift Command's disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
David was born to David L. Brewer, Jr., and Mildred S. Brewer in Farmville
, Prince Edward County, Virginia
. His naval career began in 1970 when he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy by former Secretary of the Navy, Senator John Chafee
. He was a member of the first graduating class of the first Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
unit at an historically black university
, Prairie View A&M University
, Prairie View, Texas.
His flag command posts included U.S. Naval Forces Marianas/Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Command Representative Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands/Federated States of Micronesia/Republic of Palau
, Amphibious Group 3 in San Diego, California
, Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Florida
, and Commander, Military Sealift Command headquartered in Washington, D.C.
He currently resides in Centreville, Virginia
and is married to Richardene "Deanie" Brewer.
. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Science
in Biology
at Prairie View A&M University where he also was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC). He later earned a Masters of Arts
in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College
in Newport, Rhode Island
.
of the Los Angeles Unified School District
, (LAUSD). Brewer succeeded former Colorado
Governor Roy Romer as the superintendent. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the U.S., with over 700,000 students, 800 schools, 77,000 employees, and a $ 7.5 billion budget. He was awarded a four-year contract that took effect November 13, 2006.
Brewer served as Superintendent until December 2008 when his contract was bought out by the district prior to the end of his four-year term. According to figures reported on August 4, 2009, the dropout
rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District declined almost 17% under Brewer's leadership. Specifically the dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year came in at 26.4%, down from 31.7% for the previous year and among the largest improvements in the state of California. The Los Angeles Unified School District still trails all other large urban school systems in California except the Oakland Unified School District
.
These results burnish the record of Brewer, who was forced out in December 2008 although test scores rose. Brewer, reached by the Los Angeles Times, credited Debra Duardo, a onetime dropout who began the district's dropout-prevention unit, as well as district principals and teachers who accepted responsibility for taking on the dropout problem.
Brewer heads The David and Mildred Brewer Foundation, a family foundation that provides scholarships for African American students. It is named in honor of his mother, a retired school teacher, and his late father, who taught at Brewer’s high school for more than 33 years.
Brewer currently serves as a Benchmark Practitioner with Benchmarking Partners in Cambridge
, Massachusetts
.
where she majored in English education. She also has a Master of Arts
degree in curriculum and instruction from San Diego State University
. Deanie received her Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of West Florida
in Pensacola. Dr. Brewer's teaching career has spanned more than 20 years and has taken her from Virginia to San Diego and from England to Guam. She has taught at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels, earning several teacher excellence and academic awards.
His daughter, Stacey, graduated from Hampton University in 2002 as a distinguished scholar. She went on to receive her jurist doctorate degree from Pennsylvania State's Dickinson School of Law
in 2005.
, Defense Superior Service Medal
, Legions of Merit (three), Meritorious Service Medal
, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
, Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award
, Navy League of the United States
Vincent T. Hirsch Maritime Award, and the National Defense Transportation Association's Department of Defense
Distinguished Service Award
.
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and former superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
. The 35-year veteran of the Navy commanded Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
from August 2001 until his retirement in March 2006, and served as Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training from 1999-2001. As Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training, he is known for helping to develop the Navy College Program and negotiating contracts with 11 colleges, universities and community colleges to provide bachelor
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and associate degree programs to more than 300,000 sailors. As Commander of Military Sealift Command, he is known for overseeing the massive Military Sealift Command (MSC) partnership with the private sector shipping contractors operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom which involved moving over 20000000 square feet (1,858,060.8 m²) of equipment to the Persian Gulf in less than four months. He is also known for leading the Military Sealift Command's disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
David was born to David L. Brewer, Jr., and Mildred S. Brewer in Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
, Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
. His naval career began in 1970 when he was commissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy by former Secretary of the Navy, Senator John Chafee
John Chafee
John Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as the Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator.-Early life and family:...
. He was a member of the first graduating class of the first Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.-Origins:...
unit at an historically black university
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
, Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...
, Prairie View, Texas.
His flag command posts included U.S. Naval Forces Marianas/Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Command Representative Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands/Federated States of Micronesia/Republic of Palau
Commander Naval Forces Marianas
Commander Naval Forces Marianas is the Navy force shore command responsible for United States Navy activities in Guam, Saipan, Tinian and the surrounding islands....
, Amphibious Group 3 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, and Commander, Military Sealift Command headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He currently resides in Centreville, Virginia
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a Census Designated Place , the community population was 71,135 as of the 2010 census and is approximately west of Washington, DC.-Colonial Period:Beginning in the 1760s,...
and is married to Richardene "Deanie" Brewer.
Early life
At age five, Brewer moved with his family from Farmville, Virginia to Florida, and he attended elementary and secondary schools in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at Prairie View A&M University where he also was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp (NROTC). He later earned a Masters of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
.
Post-Navy Career
In October 2006, Brewer was unanimously selected by the Los Angeles Board of Education as the superintendentSuperintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
, (LAUSD). Brewer succeeded former Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Governor Roy Romer as the superintendent. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the U.S., with over 700,000 students, 800 schools, 77,000 employees, and a $ 7.5 billion budget. He was awarded a four-year contract that took effect November 13, 2006.
Brewer served as Superintendent until December 2008 when his contract was bought out by the district prior to the end of his four-year term. According to figures reported on August 4, 2009, the dropout
Dropping out
Dropping out means leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves....
rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District declined almost 17% under Brewer's leadership. Specifically the dropout rate for the 2007-08 school year came in at 26.4%, down from 31.7% for the previous year and among the largest improvements in the state of California. The Los Angeles Unified School District still trails all other large urban school systems in California except the Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district which operates elementary schools , middle schools , and high schools in Oakland, California.-History:...
.
These results burnish the record of Brewer, who was forced out in December 2008 although test scores rose. Brewer, reached by the Los Angeles Times, credited Debra Duardo, a onetime dropout who began the district's dropout-prevention unit, as well as district principals and teachers who accepted responsibility for taking on the dropout problem.
Brewer heads The David and Mildred Brewer Foundation, a family foundation that provides scholarships for African American students. It is named in honor of his mother, a retired school teacher, and his late father, who taught at Brewer’s high school for more than 33 years.
Brewer currently serves as a Benchmark Practitioner with Benchmarking Partners in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Personal life
He is married to Richardene "Deanie" Brewer, Ed.D. Dr. Brewer is a graduate of Hampton UniversityHampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
where she majored in English education. She also has a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in curriculum and instruction from San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. Deanie received her Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of West Florida
University of West Florida
The University of West Florida, also known as West Florida and UWF, is a mid-sized public university located in Pensacola, Florida, United States. UWF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. The University of West Florida is a Research University, which specializes in...
in Pensacola. Dr. Brewer's teaching career has spanned more than 20 years and has taken her from Virginia to San Diego and from England to Guam. She has taught at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels, earning several teacher excellence and academic awards.
His daughter, Stacey, graduated from Hampton University in 2002 as a distinguished scholar. She went on to receive her jurist doctorate degree from Pennsylvania State's Dickinson School of Law
Dickinson School of Law
Penn State University Dickinson School of Law is the law school of The Pennsylvania State University...
in 2005.
Decorations
His decorations and awards include the Navy Distinguished Service MedalNavy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
, Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
, Legions of Merit (three), Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Achievement Medal
The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service...
, Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award
Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award
The Naval War College Distinguished Graduate leadership Award was established in 1996 by the Trustees of the Naval War College Foundation to honor United States Naval War College graduates who have attained positions of prominence in the field of national security.-Criteria:The criteria for...
, Navy League of the United States
Navy League of the United States
The Navy League of the United States, commonly referred to as The Navy League, is a national association made up of former members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Merchant Marine, and civilians interested in supporting the...
Vincent T. Hirsch Maritime Award, and the National Defense Transportation Association's Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
Distinguished Service Award
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award is an ambiguous term used often to describe an organization's highest award for services and contributions. Examples include:* Distinguished Service Medal...
.
Navy Distinguished Service MedalNavy Distinguished Service MedalThe Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
Defense Superior Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalThe Defense Superior Service Medal is a senior United States military decoration of the Department of Defense, awarded to members of the United States armed forces who perform "superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility."...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with two Gold Stars
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement MedalAchievement MedalThe Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service...
External links
- Biography on David L. Brewer, III
- U.S. Naval Education and Training Command http://www.NETC.navy.mil