TACTICAL TRAINING GROUP PACIFIC
Captain Joseph W. Cortopassi
U.S. Navy
Executive Officer
A native of Mountain View, California and graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Captain Joseph Cortopassi received his commission in 1998 upon graduation from Officer Candidate School. He was designated a Naval Aviator in July 2000. In 2006, he earned a Master’s of Science in Global Leadership at the University of San Diego and completed Phase One Joint Professional Military Education from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 2007.
CAPT Cortopassi’s operational assignments include a tour with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 11 where he flew the CH-46 Sea Knight and deployed twice flying missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He later served a tour as Air Officer and Executive Officer on USS DUBUQUE (LPD 8) and qualified as an Officer of the Deck (Underway) while deployed in support of OEF. He completed a Department Head tour with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 as the squadron’s Administration Officer and Operations Officer while deployed with Carrier Airwing (CVW) NINE onboard USS JOHN C STENNIS (CVN 74). He also completed at tour as the Operations Officer and Exercise Control Afloat at Carrier Strike Group FIFTEEN.
After transitioning to the MH-60S Night Hawk, his shore tours include a Fleet Replacement Squadron instructor tour with HC 3 and HSC 3 where he served as Line Division Officer, Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization Officer, Standardization Pilot and Assistant Operations Officer. He served a tour at the Bureau of Naval Personnel's Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee as the Helicopter Community’s Shore Assignments Detailer. He also completed a Joint Overseas tour with Allied Command Transformation, Staff Element Europe in Mons, Belgium, where he was the Maritime Engagement Lead in the Defense Planning Requirements Determination Branch of NATO.
His first command at sea was HSC 14, flying off CVN 74 with CVW 9 in the Western Pacific with Carrier Strike Group THREE while conducting Freedom of Navigation operations in the South China Sea. His squadron also participated in and supported the 2016 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, with the squadron earning the Battle “E” Award and other unit awards and citations under his tenure.
Captain Cortopassi assumed his duties at TACTRAGRUPAC in August 2022, as the Director of Operations and Plans and his current duties in April 2025 as Executive Officer.
CAPT Cortopassi has logged over 3,100 flight hours and has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals, and various personal, service and campaign decorations. He was selected as the Naval Helicopter Association’s (NHA) 2008 Shipboard Pilot of the Year and was awarded the NHA’s 2016 Commanding Officer’s Leadership Award. Additionally, CAPT Cortopassi was a 2017 COMPACFLT finalist for the Vice Admiral Stockdale Leadership Award.