CDR Dustin Kraemer
Commanding Officer, USS Toledo(SSN 769)
Commander Kraemer is a native of Doylestown, Ohio, graduated from Purdue University in Indiana, in 2003 and 2005 with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering. He holds an additional Master’s degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from the College of Naval Command and Staff at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2016 and is a graduate of the 2022 MIT Seminar XXI National Securities Studies program. He holds a Naval Strategist designation and is a proven Financial Manager. Following commissioning via NROTC he completed Naval Nuclear Power training in Charleston, South Carolina and Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut.
At sea, Commander Kraemer served as the Executive Officer on the USS Annapolis (SSN 760) in San Diego completing the ship’s maiden Western Pacific deployment earning the 2020 “Battle E” in addition to the Pacific Fleet Retention Excellence Award in 2019, two Weapons “White W”, two Communications “Green C”, and the Navigation “Green and Red N” awards from Squadron ELEVEN during his tour. His other sea tours include: Combat Systems Officer and Anti-Terrorism Officer on the USS Louisville (SSN 724) in Pearl Harbor, where the ship completed a highly successful Western Pacific and CENTCOM deployment, earning the Squadron SEVEN Weapons “White W” during his tour; the USS Columbia (SSN 771) in Pearl harbor where he served as a division officer, completing a Western Pacific deployment; and the USS Pasadena (SSN 752) where he served as an augmented watch officer, completing a Western Pacific deployment earning his submarine warfare qualification pin.
Commander Kraemer’s shore tours include the Chief of Naval Operations Staff (OPNAV) – Programming Division (N80) “The BULLPEN” in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as the Surface and Undersea Shipbuilding Programming Analyst (N801H2) from Spring 2020 through Fall 2022; Defense Legislative Fellow on the Staff of Congressman Bradley Byrne of Alabama’s First District in Washington, D.C.; US Naval War College Advanced Naval Strategist Program in Newport, Rhode Island; COMUSNAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLT/CTF-IA/CTF-Iraqi Maritime Executive Assistant /Flag Aide/Writer to the Deputy Commander in Al-Manama, Bahrain; CTF-54 Detachment Bahrain Assistant OIC/STRIKE/Force Protection Officer; and additional training commands.
He completed the Norwegian Submarine Command Course (PERISHER) in 2018. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (6 awards), Naval Achievement Medal (2 awards), and numerous campaign and unit awards that reflect credit on the successful teams he has served with and the many skilled professionals he has been privileged to work alongside.