Carlos Del Toro

Carlos Del Toro. He is an American government official and former naval officer serving as the 78th Secretary of the Navy under President Joe Biden. A Cuban-born immigrant, Del Toro previously served for 22 years in the United States Navy, achieving the rank of Commander and commanding the *Arleigh Burke*-class destroyer USS *Bulkeley*. Following his military service, he founded and led the technology consulting firm SBG Technology Solutions.

Early life and education

Carlos Del Toro was born in 1961 in Havana, Cuba, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child in 1962, fleeing the Cuban Revolution and the regime of Fidel Castro. He grew up in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, where his father worked as a hotel bellman. Del Toro attended Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx before receiving an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. He graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and received his commission as an ensign in the United States Navy. He later earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport and a Master of Science in Program Management from the George Washington University.

Naval career

Commissioned in 1983, Del Toro's early naval assignments included service as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the *Oliver Hazard Perry*-class frigate USS *Halyburton*. He later served as a First Lieutenant and Weapons Officer on the *Spruance*-class destroyer USS *O'Brien*, deploying to the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War. After completing department head school, he served as Combat Systems Officer on the *Ticonderoga*-class cruiser USS *Hue City*. His command tour was as the first Commanding Officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS *Bulkeley*, which he commissioned and led from 2001 to 2004. His shore duties included roles as a White House Social Aide during the administration of President George H. W. Bush, and as a Program Manager and Systems Engineer at the Department of Defense's Program Executive Office for Pentagon C3I systems.

United States Secretary of the Navy

Nominated by President Joe Biden in June 2021, Del Toro was confirmed by the United States Senate by voice vote in August 2021. He was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Navy on August 9, 2021, by Chief Justice John Roberts. As Secretary, he leads the United States Department of the Navy, overseeing the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. His key priorities have included implementing the National Defense Strategy, countering strategic competition from the People's Liberation Army Navy of China and the Russian Navy, and modernizing the fleet with a focus on *Columbia*-class submarines, *Virginia*-class submarines, and the *Gerald R. Ford*-class aircraft carriers. He has also emphasized climate resilience, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and addressing challenges such as the Red Sea crisis and supporting Ukraine following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Post-government career and awards

Prior to his cabinet appointment, Del Toro founded SBG Technology Solutions in 2004, a company providing engineering and information technology services to defense and intelligence agencies including the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and NASA. He served as its President and CEO until his nomination. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He has served on the board of the United States Naval Academy Foundation and the United States Naval Institute, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Society of Naval Engineers. Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:United States Secretaries of the Navy Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:American people of Cuban descent Category:United States Navy commanders