David L . Brewer III David L . Brewer ( born May 19 , 1946 ) is a retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy and former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District . The 35 - year veteran of the Navy commanded Military Sealift Command from August 2001 until his retirement in March 2006 , and served as Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training from 1999 - 2001 . As Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training , he is known for helping to develop the Navy College Program and negotiating contracts with 11 colleges , universities and community colleges to provide bachelor and associate degree programs to more than 300 , 000 sailors . As Commander of Military Sealift Command , he is known for overseeing the massive Military Sealift Command ( MSC ) partnership with the private sector shipping contractors operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom which involved moving over of equipment to the Persian Gulf in less than four months . He is also known for leading the Military Sealift Command ' s disaster relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina . David was born to David L . Brewer , Jr . , and Mildred S . Brewer in Farmville , Prince Edward County , Virginia . His naval career began in 1970 when he was commissioned an ensign in the U . S . Navy by former Secretary of the Navy , Senator John Chafee . He was a member of the first graduating class of the first Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps unit at an historically black university , Prairie View A & M University , Prairie View , Texas . His flag command posts included Commander Naval Forces Marianas , which had the concurrent posts of Commander in Chief U . S . Pacific Command Representative Guam / Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands / Federated States of Micronesia / Republic of Palau . In January 1997 , Vice Adm . Brewer took command of Amphibious Group 3 in San Diego , California . In July 1997 , he was nominated for promotion to the rank of Rear Adm . ( Upper Half ) . He later became Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola , Florida , and Commander , Military Sealift Command headquartered in Washington , D . C . He currently resides in Centreville , Virginia and is married to Richardene " Deanie " Brewer . Early life . At age five , Brewer moved with his family from Farmville , Virginia to Florida , and he attended elementary and secondary schools in Orlando , Florida . Later , he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Prairie View A & M University where he also was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps ( NROTC ) . He later earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island . Post - Navy Career . In October 2006 , Brewer was unanimously selected by the Los Angeles Board of Education as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District , ( LAUSD ) . Brewer succeeded former Colorado Governor Roy Romer as the superintendent . LAUSD is the second largest school district in the U . S . , with over 700 , 000 students , 800 schools , 77 , 000 employees , and a $ 7 . 5 billion budget . He was awarded a four - year contract that took effect November 13 , 2006 . Brewer served as Superintendent until December 2008 when his contract was bought out by the district prior to the end of his four - year term . According to figures reported on August 4 , 2009 , the dropout rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District declined almost 17 % under Brewer ' s leadership . Specifically the dropout rate for the 2007 - 08 school year came in at 26 . 4 % , down from 31 . 7 % for the previous year and among the largest improvements in the state of California . The Los Angeles Unified School District still trails all other large urban school systems in California except the Oakland Unified School District . These results burnish the record of Brewer , who was forced out in December 2008 although test scores rose . Brewer , reached by the Los Angeles Times , credited Debra Duardo , a onetime dropout who began the district ' s dropout - prevention unit , as well as district principals and teachers who accepted responsibility for taking on the dropout problem . Brewer heads The David and Mildred Brewer Foundation , a family foundation that provides scholarships for African American students . It is named in honor of his mother , a retired school teacher , and his late father , who taught at Brewer ’ s high school for more than 33 years . Brewer currently serves as a Benchmark Practitioner with Benchmarking Partners in Cambridge , Massachusetts . Personal life . He is married to Richardene " Deanie " Brewer , Ed . D . Dr . Brewer is a graduate of Hampton University where she majored in English education . She also has a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and instruction from San Diego State University . Deanie received her Ed . D . in educational leadership from the University of West Florida in Pensacola . Dr . Brewer ' s teaching career has spanned more than 20 years and has taken her from Virginia to San Diego and from England to Guam . She has taught at the middle school , high school and collegiate levels , earning several teacher excellence and academic awards . His daughter , Stacey , graduated from Hampton University in 2002 as a distinguished scholar . She went on to receive her jurist doctorate degree from Pennsylvania State ' s Dickinson School of Law in 2005 . Decorations . His decorations and awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal , Defense Superior Service Medal , Legions of Merit ( three ) , Meritorious Service Medal , Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal , Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award , Navy League of the United States Vincent T . Hirsch Maritime Award , and the National Defense Transportation Association ' s Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award .