TAPS: Passing of CAPT Suzanne “Oscar” Meyer 

The Naval Intelligence community lost one of its best this past weekend. CAPT Suzanne R. “Oscar” Meyer (age 56) passed away on Saturday, 14 December, surrounded by her loving family, after battling a long illness. 

Suzanne was a trailblazer throughout her career and made a tremendous impact wherever she served. She was a stand-out member of the targeting community from the earliest days, and her legacy lives on in all those she trained, coached, and mentored over the past several decades in selfless service to others. She was a friend and shipmate to many. 

Originally from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and the Russian language, and a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs, and she was a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. After graduating, she joined the Navy and served her country as a Naval officer for 28 years. Most recently she served as the Deputy Director, Directorate of Capabilities and Partnerships (N3), Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and a member of the Senior Naval Intelligence Manager for Russia team.

Her operational tours included serving as the intelligence officer on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69); targeting officer on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in operation ENDURING FREEDOM; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2) on USS Nimitz (CVN-68), where she successfully led an enterprise of over 100 intelligence and cryptologic personnel.

Her shore assignments include ONI Liaison Officer to Canadian Forces Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Victoria, British Columbia; Chief of Targets, Naval Forces Central Command/ C5F (Commander Fifth Fleet) HQ in Bahrain for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM; Special Briefing Officer and Assistant Deputy Director of Intelligence (ADDI) in the National Military Command Center, Joint Staff J2 (Washington DC); Assistant Executive Officer to the Director, Defense Intelligence Agency; Chief of Targets, U.S. Pacific Fleet and JTF-519, Pearl Harbor, Hi; and Chief of ISR Plans and ISR Operations Branches in the Directorate for Intelligence, U.S. Central Command, Tampa FL.

Suzanne also served as the Joint Staff/ J2 Defense Intelligence Agency representative to the U.S. Mission at the United Nations in New York, NY, where she provided daily intelligence briefings to five U.S. Ambassadors, including a sitting Cabinet member, and delivered time-sensitive threat warning messages to the UN Directorate of Safety and Security, ensuring the safeguarding of 18 international UN peacekeeping missions around the world. As the public face of the U.S. Intelligence Community, she played a critical role in the development and implementation of the first-ever UN framework policy on peacekeeping intelligence.

She also served as the Chief, Navy Team, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Executive Officer to the three-star Director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, now known as the DoD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, under the Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of Defense (Washington DC).

In 2024 Suzanne was awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit award for outstanding service. Her other awards include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Joint Service Commendation Medal (x3), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (x2), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (x3), Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the United Nations Military and Police Advisors' Community Medal.

Suzanne is survived by her husband Jim Phillips (U.S. Army retired), her parents, sister, brother-in-law, and three nieces.

A viewing will take place this Wednesday, 18 December from 17:30 - 1900 at the Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home (13318 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191). A celebration of life is scheduled for 20 December (2-4PM and 6-8PM) at Corl Funeral Home in Monroeville, PA.   

For those moved to honor Suzanne's legacy, please consider memorial donations to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer; or to Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen, which held special meaning to Suzanne for their impact on nourishing world communities.

Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/suzanne-meyer-obituary?id=57016353