Captain John C. Dettleff, a native of Shoreham, New York, graduated with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1994 with a B.S. in Government. Upon graduation, CAPT Dettleff reported to USCGC DILIGENCE (WMEC 616), homeported in Wilmington, NC. During this tour CAPT Dettleff participated in the historic operations ABLE MANNER and ABLE VIGIL, rescuing thousands of Haitian and Cuban migrants from unseaworthy craft during the summer of 1994.
In May 1996, CAPT Dettleff reported to USS RUSSELL (DDG 59), the Navy’s newest ARLEIGH BURKE Class AEGIS Guided Missile Destroyer, as a participant in the Coast Guard’s personnel exchange program with the U.S. Navy. While onboard RUSSELL he served as Navigator and Senior Boarding Officer. As Senior Boarding Officer he led boarding teams enforcing U.N. Security Council Resolution 661, the embargo against Iraq. Additionally, CAPT Dettleff was Officer of the Deck (OOD) during RUSSELL’s firing of eight Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles into Iraq in support of OPERATION DESERT STRIKE on September 4th, 1996.
In 1998 CAPT Dettleff assumed command of USCGC POINT BRIDGE (WPB 82338), homeported in Marina del Rey, CA. During this tour, POINT BRIDGE conducted numerous search & rescue and law enforcement patrols, primarily at the U.S.-Mexico maritime border. In January 2000, POINT BRIDGE was one of the first Coast Guard units to respond to the crash of Alaskan Airlines Flight #261 in the waters off of Los Angeles.
In June 2002, CAPT Dettleff graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government (HKS). While at HKS, CAPT Dettleff was awarded a 10-week “Imagitas” fellowship in the White House in the summer of 2001. Assigned to the Domestic Policy Council, CAPT Dettleff worked on new initiatives regarding U.S.-Mexico immigration/border control policy.
Upon graduation, CAPT Dettleff reported to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT to begin a four-year assignment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities. In addition to his teaching duties, CAPT Dettleff also served as the Associate Director of the Academy’s Institute for Leadership. In 2006 he received the Naval Order Award as the Outstanding Junior Military Faculty member at the Academy, while also being named a National Finalist for the White House Fellows program.
In July of 2006 CAPT Dettleff reported as the Executive Officer onboard DILIGENCE, returning to the cutter that was his first operational assignment upon graduation from the Academy. From 2008 to 2010 he was detailed to the committee staff of Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC). CAPT Dettleff returned to sea duty in 2010 as the Commanding Officer of USCGC VALIANT (WMEC 621), homeported in Miami Beach, FL. He followed this command tour with a two-year Joint assignment at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), working in the Counter Narcotics/Counter Illicit Trafficking (J36) branch. For 2014-2015, CAPT Dettleff served as the Coast Guard’s lone Military Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
CAPT Dettleff followed his CSIS fellowship with a tour as the Executive Assistant to the Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Acquisition (CG-9). From 2018-2020, he served as the Director of the Commandant’s Advisory Group (CAG) for the Coast Guard’s 26th Commandant, Admiral Karl Schultz. CAPT Dettleff most recently completed a special assignment as the Deputy Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Presidential Transition Office (PTO) during the 2020-2021 presidential election.
CAPT Dettleff is currently the Coast Guard Service Chair, and faculty member at The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC.
CAPT Dettleff’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation.