Linnea Sommer Weddington '81
March 19, 2024
Russell Wright Alumni House or Online
6:30 p.m.
Russell Wright Alumni House or Online
6:30 p.m.
Rear Admiral Linnea J. Sommer-Weddington, native of southern California, was raised in northern New Jersey. She spent her senior year of high school in Nyköping, Sweden, which influenced her desire for travel and foreign languages.
Prior to graduating from Slippery Rock State college in May 1981, she enlisted in the Navy as a cryptologic Technician Imperative with a February 1982 report date. Trained as a Russian linguist, she reported to Naval Security Group Activity, Misawa Air Base, Japan in 1983. Duties were national cryptologic operations.
Completing enlisted service in 1986, she was commissioned a Navy Reserve cryptologic ensign in 1989. Duty assignments included administration, training, special security, and executive officer in Naval Reserve Security Group (NRSG) units in Greensboro, NC, and Fort Meade, MD. Other assignments included NRSG Information Assurance Monitoring and declassification duties with Office of Naval Intelligence.
Recalled to active duty in 2002, she was Deputy Chief of Staff-Cryptology for Commander, Naval Air Reserve Force. Between 2005 – 2013, command tours included: Navy Reserve Navy Information Operations Command North Island in San Diego, Fort Worth and San Antonio, TX, and Augusta, GA.
In 2012, she was mobilized for one year supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, as U.S. Forces-Afghanistan director of information operations in Kabul. Between December 2013 and September 2014, assigned as commander, Information Dominance Corps Region Southwest, San Diego. Promoted to Rear Admiral in October 2014, and through February 2017, assigned as deputy director of Warfare Integration on Chief of Naval Operations staff in the Pentagon. Final duty assignment – March 2017 through September 2019 - served as the J6 Deputy and J6 Director, U.S. Strategic Command. Monthly additional duty included Airborne Emergency Action Officer, completing 40 missions.
She earned a B.S. in 1981 from Slippery Rock State College and earned a Master of Business Administration in 1996 from Meredith College, Raleigh, NC. In 2011, she completed the U.S. Marine Corps Joint Professional Military Education program.
Personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, and other personal, unit and campaign awards.
Sommer-Weddington is the longtime business manager for the Weddington Art Gallery.
