Kaiser Is New Commanding Officer Of Simpson

Kaiser is a native of Milwaukee, WI. A member of the Corps of Cadets, he received his commission and Bachelors of Science degree in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M in 1989.

His first sea tour was onboard USS Bronstein (FF 1037), serving as the Communications Officer. His subsequent sea tours include serving as Gunnery Officer on USS Downes (FF 1070), Auxiliaries Division Officer on USS Ranger (CV 61), Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC) Officer-in-Charge of Assault Craft Unit 5, Training Officer of Naval Small Craft and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS), Combat Systems Officer and executive officer on USS Stark (FFG), and executive officer on USS Lake Champlain (CG 57).

This will be his second commanding officer tour. He has also served as commanding officer of USS Monsoon (PC 4), where he deployed to Central America and the Caribbean.

Cmdr. Luis A. Maldonado

During his sea tours, Kaiser has participated in seven deployments to the Eastern and Western Pacific, Caribbean, North Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. He served in Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf; Operation Restore Hope off the Coast of Somalia; Operation Enduring Freedom in the Western Pacific; Standing Naval Forces Atlantic in Europe; and numerous counter-drug and special operations.

While at NAVSCIATTS in Rodman, Panama, Kaiser deployed as the officer-in-charge of Mobile Training Teams, which deployed throughout Mexico, Africa, Central and South America to train foreign military and police forces in Riverine and Small Boat Operations.

Between sea tours, Kaiser earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College with a sub-specialty in Latin American Area Studies.

Ashore, Kaiser has served as Exercise Director of U.S. Naval Forces South in Puerto Rico where he was in charge of all Naval Exercises in Southern Command and was also the Colombian and Venezuelan Desk officer. He has also served on the OPNAV staff, Director of Surface Warfare (N86) as the Plans & Policy/Community Issues officer. While at OPNAV, he spent one year on a Government War on Terror (GWOT) deployment to Colombia serving as the Joint Maritime Plans and Operations officer where he advised the Colombian Military on Counter Narco-Terrorism operations and training.

Maldonado has served as Commanding Officer of USS Simpson since July 2006. Since taking command, he has led the ship through Operation Neptune Warrior and a very successful Counter-Narco Terrorism deployment.

During the six month CNT deployment, Simpson patrolled the waters of the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean. Simpson was responsible for preventing an estimated 16 tons of cocaine from making it to America. Maldonado will be going on to serve as an Individual Augmentee (IA) under US Central Command (CENTCOM) based out of Tampa Bay, Fla.