Rear Admiral Fred Kacher has commanded Expeditionary Strike Group 7, Destroyer Squadron 7, and USS Stockdale (DDG 106). He is the co-author of several professional books, including the Newly Commissioned Naval Officers Guide and Naval Officer’s Guide to the Pentagon. A former White House Fellow, he is a recipient of the Surface Navy Association’s Elmo Zumwalt Award for Visionary Leadership and the U.S. Navy League’s John Paul Jones Inspirational Leadership Award.

Joseph A. Gagliano is a career naval officer who has served in multiple Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and commanded USS Independence (LCS 2). He holds a PhD and master's degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, a master's degree from the U.S. Naval War College, and a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy.

CDR Samantha A. O’Neil is a surface warfare officer who served at sea as a division officer in USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and as the chief engineer in USS Preble (DDG 88) and USS Cowpens (CG 63), where she was the recipient of the Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award. Ashore, she served as a company officer at the United States Naval Academy and as a staff member in the Commander’s Action Group at Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific. As a Navy reserve officer, she served as executive officer of the Navy Reserve Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific Headquarters unit and executive officer of the Navy Reserve Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center headquarters unit. She is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, the University of Maryland, and the U.S. Naval War College.