Captain Kenneth M. Curtin
Captain Kenneth M. Curtin Jr. became the Undersea Warfighting Development Center’s Chief of Staff in November 2025.
A native of Yonkers, NY, Captain Ken Curtin enlisted in the Navy in 1985 and spent nine years in the enlisted ranks on board USS JAMES K. POLK (SSBN-645)(B) and at Naval Submarine School.
In 1994, Captain Curtin was accepted into the Enlisted Commissioning Program and attended North Carolina State University where he earned a B.S. in Computer Science and a commission in 1997.
Following his commission, Captain Curtin’s sea tours have included USS CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI (SSN-705), USS RHODE ISLAND (SSBN-740)(G), and USS DALLAS (SSN-700). He commanded USS WYOMING (SSBN-742)(G), leading the submarine and crew in earning the 2015 U.S. Strategic Command Omaha Trophy and the 2015 Submarine Squadron Twenty Battle “E”.
Captain Curtin’s shore assignments have included the Naval Postgraduate School, National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) at U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Naval War College, Naval Submarine School, Deputy Director of the Undersea Warfighting Development Center’s Tactical Analysis Group, and the Submarine Force Atlantic, Prospective Commanding Officer Instructor. Captain Curtin was the 53rd Commanding Officer of Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., from 2021 to 2025.
Captain Curtin’s naval service spans more than forty years, and he is authorized to wear the following awards: Legion of Merit (2 awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (5 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (3 awards), Naval Aviation Observer Wings, and several unit and service awards.