Commander Aaron Kakiel’s path back to the teaching at the Naval Academy has
followed a path through multiple communities, areas of operation and included time
working in a variety of operations afloat and ashore. Commander Kakiel grew up in
Fayetteville, Pennsylvania and enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy following high
school. There he was an active member of the National Eagle Scout Association and
Honor Staff before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Weapons System
Engineering and service selecting Submarines in 2003.

Following graduation, he participated in a test program which sent future submariners to
the submarine officer basic course before entering the nuclear pipeline. He was
assigned to the USS Hartford (SSN 768) for his first sea duty and completed a
SOUTHCOM deployment, earned his dolphins, passed the prospective nuclear
engineers’ exam and completed Depot Modernization Period at the Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard. Next, he served on the U.S. Seventh Fleet staff as the Theater Security and
Cooperation Officer for South Asia and Oceania, planning and executing exercises, port
visits and humanitarian support. His experiences working with the embassy and joint
forces public affairs teams encouraged him to seek lateral transfer into the public affairs
community.

After transferring to the public affairs community, Commander Kakiel served with nearly
every navy community both ashore and deployed. First with Naval Air Forces in San
Diego, including an Individual Augmentation to the NATO Training Mission in
Afghanistan, then with Submarine Group 7 and Carrier Strike Group 5 forward deployed
from Yokosuka, Japan, then as a detailer at Navy Personnel Command and officer
community manager with BUPERS-3 in Millington, TN. This breadth of experiences,
helped Commander Kakiel understand the operational and administrative systems used
in the Navy and partner services. Following his tours Tennessee, he started his journey
to becoming a permanent military professor by earning his Ph.D. in Industrial
Organizational Psychology from Seattle Pacific University.

His research interests include coaching, mentorship, how individuals mindsets affect
their future performance, using EEG’s to map an individual’s brain wave patterns to
psychological constructs, and how to develop leaders both through instruction and
experiences.

Commander Kakiel’s other post-graduate education includes a Master of Arts degree in
Industrial Organizational Psychology from Seattle Pacific University, an Executive
Master of Business Administration degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and
additional certificates of professional military education.  His personal decorations
include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four
awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Achievement Medal (two
awards). Additionally, his deployments have earned him the right to wear the Joint

Meritorious Unit Commendation, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on
Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Support Medal, Korean
Defense Service Medal, NATO Non-Article 5 Medal, and National Defense Service
Medal.