Kelechi Ndukwe, the first Nigerian-American to command a US Navy warship, has been promoted to the rank of Captain. The promotion ceremony took place on Thursday in Millington, Tennessee, marking a significant milestone in Ndukwe’s 21-year career in the US Navy.
Ndukwe made history in 2021 when he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the USS Halsey (DDG-97), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, becoming the first Nigerian national to hold such a position. An alumnus of the University of Notre Dame and the US Naval War College, he joined the Navy in 2003 after earning a master’s degree in national security and strategy studies.
Born to Nigerian parents who migrated to the United States in 1977, Ndukwe is the oldest of four children. His parents, described as “poor students with hopes and dreams,” have been a source of inspiration throughout his journey.
Throughout his career, Ndukwe has held several key leadership positions within the Navy. He served as the commanding officer of the USS Devastator (MCM 6), a minesweeper based in Bahrain, and as a weapons officer and combat systems officer on the USS Fitzgerald in Yokosuka, Japan. Ndukwe has also worked as a Navy congressional liaison officer in Washington, D.C., and within the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking military position in the US.
As a newly promoted Captain, Ndukwe will command some of the US Navy’s largest vessels, including aircraft carriers and submarines, and oversee shore installations. His role will also include leading missions and representing the Navy in diplomatic capacities when necessary.
