Commander Kirk S. Lippold, United States Navy (Ret.)
Biography 
 
Commander Lippold was the Commanding Officer of USS COLE when it came under a suicide terrorist attack by al Qaeda in the port of Aden, Yemen.  During his command he and his crew distinguished themselves by saving this American war ship from sinking.   This event is widely recognized as one of the most brazen acts of terrorism by al Qaeda prior to September 11, 2001.  With this unique and invaluable experience, Commander Lippold has briefed over 3,000 military officers and given over 100 presentations on this seminal event in the war on terrorism.   
 
His assignments prior to the USS COLE included Executive Officer of USS SHILOH, an Aegis-class guided missile cruiser.  His department head tour was unique in his assignment to the crew that commissioned the Navy's first Aegis guided missile destroyer.  He served as the Operations Officer responsible for the training and operation of a next generation $1 billion warship with a crew of over 300 Sailors.  He had two division officer assignments, which included a tour on USS YORKTOWN, an Aegis class guided missile cruiser.  There, he completed a lengthy seven and half month deployment to the Mediterranean, where he participated in the Achille Lauro aircraft seizure, Black Sea Freedom of Navigation operations against the Soviet Union, and Attain III combat operations in the Gulf of Sidra off of Libya that followed several Libyan sponsored terrorist attacks in Europe.  His initial division officer tour was in USS FAIRFAX COUNTY, a tank landing ship, where he completed deployments to Beirut, Lebanon, in support of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Multinational Peacekeeping Force.  It was during this deployment that the American Embassy was attacked and severely damaged.  His second deployment was as part of UNITAS XXV, which circumnavigated South America and included operations off the west coast of Africa.
 
Commander Lippold is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and received his commission in the Navy in 1981.  He attended the Navy Postgraduate School from 1987 to 1989 where he received a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering (Joint Command, Control and Communications) with a subspecialty in International Strategy.  He is a 1994 graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and is also a 2001 graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.  He served as the Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy under The Honorable John Dalton and The Honorable Richard Danzig.  He recently served as Deputy Division Chief and Politico-Military Planner, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), War on Terrorism Division, where he was instrumental in crafting detainee policy for the war on terrorism during its initial stages following the 9/11 attacks.  His most recent assignment prior to retirement was as Section Chief for Regional Affairs, International Strategy Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (N5IS).  He is now President of Base to Peak, LLC, specializing in motivational and business-oriented professional speaking and consulting.
 
Commander Lippold’s personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), in addition to various campaign and service ribbons.