SSP’s Deputy Director for Regional Strike Systems Speaks to the NREDO Community

25 February 2026

From Thomas Jones

WASHINGTON – Strategic Systems Programs’ (SSP) Rear Adm. Michael Richman, the deputy director for Regional Strike Systems and the Navy’s senior-most reserve EDO, spoke to Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officers (NREDOs) on January 27 in Washington, D.C., and discussed the efforts of those serving in this critical community. Engineering Duty Officers (EDOs) serve as the technical experts of the U.S. Navy, keeping fleets moving forward through a combination of effective leadership and engineering expertise.

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A graphic celebrating Reserve Engineering Duty Officers

Richman emphasized that the responsibilities of NREDOs are not substantially different as compared to active duty EDOs, and the path they follow is much the same.

“Other than the amount of time, an NREDO has a very similar qualification path compared to active duty,” Richman said. “It takes about five years to complete, culminating in an oral board. From our perspective, once you pass the board, you’re fully qualified and have the foundational knowledge to perform the duties of an EDO.”

Within SSP, NREDOs are heavily integrated into the command’s mission set. There is a dedicated reserve force within SSP headquarters, with all field activities having further NREDO representation, supporting all of SSP’s primary programs, including Trident, Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), and Nuclear-armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N).

Richman says that all NREDOs, regardless of command, have the same core focus.

“The EDO reserve force mission is focused around three main pillars,” he said. “The first pillar is maintenance, or what we refer to as ‘clear the pier,’ ensuring that we get our fleet out into the fight and that it stays in the fight for as long as possible. The second pillar of the EDO reserve force is Diving, Salvage, and Heavy Lift. The third pillar is lethality and mission assurance.”

This third pillar is what SSP’s mission – to be the premier provider of cost effective, safe, and secure sea-based strategic deterrent solutions – is built around.

“This is where our EDOs primarily focus at SSP and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) support, and supporting program offices,” Richman said. “As a result, SSP has additional command-specific qualification requirements that aspiring EDOs are expected to meet whether they are active duty or reservists.”

He further emphasizes that, while SSP does have its own specialization, it’s important to understand that EDOs across the enterprise maintain a core skillset on all three pillars.

During the January NREDO on-site visit to Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington D.C., Richman briefed them on SSP as well as the status of the overall NREDO community.

“Part of my role as the community lead for the EDO reserve force is to communicate where we’re at in terms of our force makeup and force structure, and where we’re heading in terms of warfighting readiness,” Richman said.

He also communicated the results of the last two NREDO yearly exercises.

“We make changes in our force structure based on the information we receive from these exercises,” Richman said. “Effectively communicating these results and the changes we’re making is critical to refining our individual training plans and our focus to make sure that we’re 100% ready to perform our warfighting functions when called upon.”

Maintaining this focus is one of the significant challenges that the reservists and Richman must overcome.

“How do I fit individual training plan requirements and qualifications into one weekend a month and two weeks a year, and how do I take a fully qualified EDO and ensure that when they’re recalled to active duty, they can perform seamlessly and transparently with their active-duty counterparts?” Richman said. “We need to be physically ready, administratively ready, and most importantly every single individual needs to have the core capabilities and competencies to perform their mission.”

This mission is integral to the Chief of Naval Operations’ “Foundry, Fleet, and Fight” message.

“Foundry covers operational readiness, shipbuilding, and repair,” Richman said. “This exemplifies the NREDO force to its core, and nearly 85% of the 2,400 member EDO reserve force are directly involved in waterfront operations, fleet sustainment, and fleet repair. Our diving salvage and heavy lift capabilities are part of the critical support that we provide to the fleet; and finally, our mission assurance and lethality pillar fits squarely into the fight category.

For Richman, this community presented the perfect opportunity to blend his professional skills with a call to serve. Initially working as a civilian engineer for the Navy, Richman found himself with a desire to couple his engineering acumen with service in uniform, making the EDO pipeline the ideal path for him.

“I found out that with a master’s degree you could get a direct commission as an EDO in the reserve force,” Richman said. “That was exactly what I was looking for, so I headed down the path to make that happen.”

Richman holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. After his initial graduation from Purdue, Richman received his direct commission as an ensign in the Navy Reserve in 1997. He completed his EDO journey while assigned to the NAVSEA Theater Nuclear Warfare Unit, becoming fully qualified in 2002.

After serving for 25 years, Richman was promoted to rear admiral on October 1, 2022, and was assigned to SSP on October 1, 2024, where he provides leadership to the Navy’s SLCM-N and CPS programs. The development of these two programs provides sea-based regional strike capabilities for the warfighter, expanding the Navy’s deterrence capabilities and ensuring the nation’s defense.

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SSP’s Deputy Director for Regional Strike Systems Speaks to the NREDO Community

From Thomas Jones