Daniel Gavigan

Quartermaster – Navy

CAPT Daniel Gavigan was commissioned in 1997 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and served two years of flight school in Corpus Christi, TX.  He then transferred to NAS Oceana, VA where he served as a PAO/ Security Officer.  In 2000, he left active duty and became the Marine Engineering Programing Manager at the Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS) in Kings Point, NY.  CAPT Gavigan subsequently joined the Navy Reserve in 2000 as the Training Officer for Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 203.  In 2002, Daniel was hired by Suffolk County Police Department as a Police Officer.  Upon graduating from the Police Academy, he was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in NAVCENTCOM Bahrain as Staff Ops Command Center Watch Officer.

In 2004, Daniel became the Executive Officer of Navy Security Forces Naples, Italy.  In 2005, he was selected as the Commanding Officer of Navy Security Forces Annapolis, Maryland.  In 2006, he completed his Master’s Degree from Saint John’s University in Criminal Justice Leadership.  In addition to his duty as the Reserve CO, he volunteered for fifteen missions forwardly deployed as a Mission Commander.

In 2010, CAPT Gavigan was asked to be the Reserve Commanding Officer of Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command.  In 2012, he was deployed JUSMAG- Philippines to become Chief, Maritime Security Initiatives.  In 2013, he served as the PACOM Special Forces Operations Desk Officer in the Joint Operations Center.  In 2014, CAPT Gavigan was appointed the Commanding Officer of U.S. Fleet Forces Naval Cooperation and Guidance of Shipping (NCAGS) New York supporting C6F.  While there, he qualified and stood the Battle Watch Captain (Ashore and Afloat) for C6F MOC for numerous exercises and real-world operations.  Later that year, CAPT Gavigan was awarded his second O5 CO Tour with NCAGS Chicago supporting C5F.  In 2018, he was selected for promotion to Captain and was appointed to his first major command with NCAGS San Diego coordinating West Coast NCAGS Operations for C4F and PACFLT.  In 2019, CAPT Gavigan was hand selected as the Lead Planner of the 2nd largest maritime exercise, the International Maritime Exercise (IMX 2019).  IMX 2019 incorporated 49 Nations and 8 International Organizations for numerous maritime security operations encompassing the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian Ocean with many linkages between AFRICOM and CENTCOM.  He was also the Lead RIMPAC Planner for NCAGS and U.S. Led for the Pacific and Indian Ocean Working Group (PACIOSWG) and U.S. Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Working Group.  After 25 years of service, Daniel retired in September 2022.   

In 2022, he finished his second Master’s Degree in International Relations with in a minor in Transnational Crime & Terrorism at the American Military University.  He is currently attending Stony Brook University for a Masters of Social Work.  He resides Port Jefferson Station, NY.

He is a recipient of various personal and campaign awards, including: Legion of Merit (3), Meritorious Service (4), Joint Commendation (2), Navy Commendation (2), Navy Achievement (2).