During his initial sea tour aboard USS Reasoner (FF-1063), he served as the main propulsion assistant and combat information center officer from January 1987 to August 1989.
As a department head, he served as engineer officer aboard USS Antrim (FFG-20) from June 1992 to November 1993.
As a second department head tour, he served as space examiner in the gas turbine branch of CINCLANTFLT's Propulsion Examining Board from November 1993 to November 1995.
During his follow-on sea tour, he served as the executive officer aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) from April 1999 to July 2000.
His first command was serving as the sixth commanding officer of USS Higgins (DDG-76) from November 2004 to November 2006, where he led Higgins during a six-month Western Pacific deployment with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as part of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
 Wilson served as sea combat commander for the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group during the 2009–10 Western Pacific deployment.

Wilson then served as the commander of Destroyer Squadron TWO THREE (DESRON 23), also known as the Little Beavers.
He assumed command in December 2010, following a line of officers starting in 1943, which included Arleigh Burke.
He was also the mission commander for Pacific Partnership 2011, COMPACFLT’s annual humanitarian and civil assistance mission to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

On December 1, 2015, Wilson relieved RDML Bruce Lindsey during a change of command ceremony aboard the flagship USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)(IKE).
The Norfolk-based strike group is composed of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3, USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Monterey (CG 61), and Destroyer Squadron 26 and its associated ships: USS Barry (DDG 52), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS McFaul (DDG 74), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).
The strike group commander's duties are to oversee operational training and readiness for the entire group and to maintain administrative functions and material warfighting readiness support for ships and squadrons.
During his initial sea tour aboard USS Reasoner (FF-1063), he served as the main propulsion assistant and combat information center officer from January 1987 to August 1989. As a department head, he served as engineer officer aboard USS Antrim (FFG-20) from June 1992 to November 1993. As a second department head tour, he served as space examiner in the gas turbine branch of CINCLANTFLT's Propulsion Examining Board from November 1993 to November 1995. During his follow-on sea tour, he served as the executive officer aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) from April 1999 to July 2000. His first command was serving as the sixth commanding officer of USS Higgins (DDG-76) from November 2004 to November 2006, where he led Higgins during a six-month Western Pacific deployment with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as part of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.  Wilson served as sea combat commander for the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group during the 2009–10 Western Pacific deployment.
Wilson then served as the commander of Destroyer Squadron TWO THREE (DESRON 23), also known as the Little Beavers. He assumed command in December 2010, following a line of officers starting in 1943, which included Arleigh Burke. He was also the mission commander for Pacific Partnership 2011, COMPACFLT’s annual humanitarian and civil assistance mission to Southeast Asia and Oceania.
On December 1, 2015, Wilson relieved RDML Bruce Lindsey during a change of command ceremony aboard the flagship USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)(IKE). The Norfolk-based strike group is composed of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3, USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Monterey (CG 61), and Destroyer Squadron 26 and its associated ships: USS Barry (DDG 52), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS McFaul (DDG 74), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94). The strike group commander's duties are to oversee operational training and readiness for the entire group and to maintain administrative functions and material warfighting readiness support for ships and squadrons.
Jesse A. Wilson Jr.