Vice Admiral William A. “Andy” Brown of Gloucester officially retired from the U.S. Navy on Nov. 1 after 37 years of service. 

Brown was honored at a Sept. 13 retirement ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., During the ceremony, U.S. Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, Chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented Brown with the Defense Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary meritorious service for the U.S. armed forces. 

Brown was one of five persons inducted to the 2017-2018 class of the Institute for Defense and Business (IDB) Executive Fellows on Sept. 7.

The Executive Fellows program is an opportunity for selected retired senior leaders from the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the military services to share their knowledge and experience with participants in the IDB’s educational programs. 

A graduate of Gloucester High School, Brown was a Naval Reserve Officers Training Co...