Executive Officer
Cmdr. Addison G. Daniel, IV

Born in San Diego, California, Cmdr. Daniel graduated from Virginia Tech in 2001 and holds a Master of Business Administration concentrating in Strategic Leadership from Trident University, as well as a Master’s of Military Studies from Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Daniel received his commission via ROTC in March of 2002, and was later designated a naval aviator in September 2003. 

Upon completion of MH-60S fleet replacement pilot training at Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 3, Daniel reported to HC-8, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, for his initial sea tour. Between 2004 and 2007, Daniel served in a multitude of assignments including assistant officer-in-charge and completed detachments to both 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. 

Subsequent sea duty assignments include two tours with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 as a Seahawk weapons and tactics instructor, tactics officer, training officer, and officer-in-charge of the squadron’s first proof of concept detachment in support of SEAL Team 10 high altitude training in Playas, New Mexico. As department head at HSC-22, Daniel deployed aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5) in support of embassy evacuation operations in Libya and Yemen, as well as tasking against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. His detachment is credited with the at-sea rescue of 284 lives that encompasses the largest U.S. Navy rescue in the Mediterranean of recent history. Daniel’s final sea duty assignment was commanding officer of Cooperative Security Location (CSL) Comalapa, El Salvador, conducting counter-narcotics operations.

Ashore, Daniel served as both a MH-60S fleet replacement squadron instructor pilot at HSC-2 and as a Seahawk weapons and tactics instructor for Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Atlantic. From April 2016 to February 2018, Daniel was U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) military liaison to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, D.C. Daniel’s last shore assignment was chief staff officer for Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic (HSCWL) from August 2020 to August 2023. 

Daniel’s accomplishments include master training specialist, armed helicopter transition cadre, Sikorsky Rescue Award (2), and he was named the Naval Helicopter Association (NHA) Instructor Pilot of the Year (2010) for Region Four and the NHA Aircrew of the Year-Deployed, Region Four (2015). Daniel’s military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2), Joint Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (3), Navy Achievement Medal (3), the Distinguished Service Medal of El Salvador, and various unit, campaign, and service awards. He has flown over two thousand three hundred hours in fixed and rotary wing aircraft.