Lieutenant Commander Kristopher DeVisser is a native of Kinnelon, N.J. He graduated from the University of Rochester, in Rochester, N.Y., with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also worked for specialty valve company Marotta Controls during his summer breaks. While at the University of Rochester, he earned his commission through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program as a Surface Warfare Officer, and was commissioned on May 14, 2011.
DeVisser reported to the USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) in Norfolk, Va., and served as the repair officer as well as the admin officer. He completed a deployment to the 5th and 6th fleets’ Areas of Operation and completed a Dry-docking Selected Restricted Availability. He also completed the basic phase and qualified as Surface Warfare Officer and as an Engineering Officer of the Watch, before transferring in January of 2014. DeVisser served with Coastal Riverine Squadron Four, in Virginia Beach, Va., where he served as the waterside platoon officer and the assistant officer in charge for Bravo Company, where he deployed to both Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain with 12 boat teams. He was then selected for lateral transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer community in September of 2015.
DeVisser reported to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., where he studied Systems Engineering. His thesis revolved around the certification and qualification of 3D printed parts on naval vessels. He graduated in December 2017. Next, DeVisser completed the Engineering Duty Officer Basic Course in Port Hueneme, Calif., in preparation for his career in the engineering duty community.
DeVisser qualified as an Engineering Duty Officer at the Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, where he served as Project Officer, Docking Coordinator and then as Class Team Leader. He was responsible for the maintenance and repair of the Patrol Craft, Patrol Boats and four Littoral Combat Ships based at Mayport, Calif., in the Southeast Area of Responsibility, through the end of his tour in October of 2020.
Next, he reported to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific to be the N43 Department Head. At MIDPAC he served on the admiral’s staff as the Maintenance Officer for Hawaii-based ships, as well as all ships traveling through the Middle Pacific Area of Responsibility. Following a successful tour at MIDPAC, DeVisser transferred to the Hawaii Regional Maintenance Center component of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in 2022, as the Waterfront Operations Officer. There, he managed the repair and maintenance of all Pearl Harbor-based Naval surface ships. DeVisser transferred from the HRMC team at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in April of 2024, to Detachment Everett, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, where he currently serves as the Officer-In-Charge.
His personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, and various unit, campaign and service awards.
DeVisser married the former Katie McLean in 2014. Katie works as an adjunct professor for the University of Hawaii, where she teaches English. They have daughters Cora and Kyla, as well as a family dog. Their family enjoys going to the beach, skiing and spending time together outdoors.