LCDR Loren Crone, CHC, USN

US Naval Academy Deputy Command Chaplain

Chaplain Loren Crone

Chaplain Loren Crone is from Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Northwood University (West Palm Beach, FL) in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. He received his Master of Divinity Degree (M.Div.) in 2009 from Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary. Chaplain Crone was commissioned as an Ensign, Chaplain Candidate Program Officer, in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR), Navy June 2008. Chaplain Crone attended the Navy Officer Develop School (ODS) in Newport, RI, in May 2009.

His first operational tour was command chaplain of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Camp Pendleton, CA, January 2010.  During his tour, he completed over 100 successful air and ground missions during two deployments in Helmand Province Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). In 2016, he received orders to Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Destroyer Squadron SIX ZERO (CDS60), Rota, Spain.  Chaplain Crone manned, trained, and equipped four U.S. Destroyers with religious ministry support.  He deployed multiple times, maintaining a forty percent operational tempo over four years mostly in the Sixth Fleet areas of operation. In 2018, he was selected as COMNAVSURFLANT Professional Navy Chaplain of the Year.

His shore assignments included Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA, 2013-2016. Chaplain Crone executed orders to Marine Corps Base Quantico on 2 January 2013, assuming the Command Chaplain’s duties of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Battalion (MSG) and Protestant Contemporary Chapel service. He led the contemporary worship service and taught ethics and leadership at the MSG Schoolhouse. He traveled to more than fifty countries in support of MSG Marines and their families. 

Chaplain Crone was assigned to USNA where he served as Associate Director of the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership from 2021-2023. He assumed the role of deputy command Chaplain in May 2023.

LCDR Crone earned a Master of Arts Degree in Public Policy and International Politics from Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, May 2013 and Master of Theology at Duke University in 2021. He earned his Joint Professional Military Education in June 2015.  His personal awards include three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals. He holds an additional qualification designator as a Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer.