Dave Kiel entered the Navy through the NROTC program at the University of Colorado in 1982 where he earned a BA degree in Economics and Computer Science.  Following commissioning, he attended the Surface Warfare Officers School (Basic) in Coronado before being assigned to USS LYNDE MCCORMACK (DDG 8) as Communications Officer and First Lieutenant.  He then served on board USS JOUETT (CG 29) as Ordnance Officer.

After his initial sea tours, Capt. Kiel attended the Naval Post Graduate School and earned an MS in Physics, specializing in lasers and electro-optics.  During graduate school, he was selected for lateral transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) Community.  Following his post graduate work, his first tour as an EDO was at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), in Dahlgren, Virginia where he led a research effort in countering missile guidance systems using solid state high power microwave devices.

In 1994, he returned to sea duty as Combat Systems Officer in USS SAIPAN (LHA 2), participating in a complex overhaul prior to subsequent workups for a Mediterranean deployment.   He then joined the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic as the Force Weapons Officer. At SURFLANT he was responsible for maintenance of all the Atlantic Fleet’s surface weapon systems and the execution of the Fleet Modernization Program for the Atlantic Fleet.  In 1998, he transferred to Washington, DC where he served as the Associate Program Manager for the research, development and acquisition of the AN/SLY-2, the future surface ship electronic warfare system.

In 2002, he transferred to the Chief of Naval Operations staff as an Action Officer. He was responsible for SUPSHIP budgeting, Fleet Readiness Metrics, and the Fleet Modernization Program. His next tour was to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces earning a Masters in National Security Strategy. Following graduation he transferred to the Naval Sea Systems Command to run the Warfare Analysis and POM Integration Division and Program Manager for Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems, PMS 405.

In 2011 he retired from active duty and supported Electronic Warfare programs as a contractor. He returned to government service and served as the Navy’s Technical Warrant Holder for Directed Energy Weapons and the Director of the Directed Energy Warfare Office at NSWC Dahlgren. Currently, he is the Division Director at ONR for the Air Warfare and Weapons Department where he leads the department’s diverse portfolio of Future Naval Capabilities and Innovative Prototype programs.