Castine, Maine April 29, 2025 – Maine Maritime Academy announced today that they have named retired United States Navy Captain Justin D. Cooper II to the position of Commandant of Midshipman. Captain Cooper will report directly to President Craig Johnson and will oversee the Maine Maritime Academy regiment. His appointment is effective May 5, 2025.

Captain Justin D. Cooper II

President Craig Johnson said, “We are thrilled to welcome Captain Justin Cooper to Maine Maritime Academy. His career history is exceptional, and he is a proven thoughtful leader. The feedback to his visits to campus with both faculty, staff and students made it clear that out of a national field of applicants, he is the right leader for our regimental efforts. As we welcome the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel this fall, Captain Cooper will be an integral part of the MMA team.”

After earning his wings in May 1985, he served at sea during 6 Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployments with the “Fighting Redtails” of VS-21 aboard USS ENTERPRISE as a Landing Signal Officer in 1996 and 1998, with the “Dragonfires” of VS-29 aboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN in support of Operation Southern Watch in 1995, with the “Fighting Red Griffins” of VS-38 as Executive and Commanding Officer in 1999 and 2001, and finally aboard USS NIMITZ as Air Boss during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

“I have been fortunate in my career to serve on, and lead teams that were marked with hardworking and driven individuals who always shared their passion for serving the greater good. I am inspired by the work being done at Maine Maritime Academy, the student fortitude, faculty and staff who work beside them daily, and I look forward to joining this team,” said Captain Cooper.

Captain Cooper’s operational assignments ashore include serving with VS-41 as a flight instructor and Landing Signal Officer, and with Carrier Group One as Flag Lieutenant deploying aboard USS KITTY HAWK, USS INDEPENDENCE, and USS MIDWAY. He served at Headquarters, United States European Command, Operations Directorate as NATO Southern Region Exercise Officer participating extensively in the Partnership for Peace program that led to the decision to expand NATO in 1997.

The town of Castine and Maine Maritime Academy hold a specific fondness for Captain Cooper and his family, as they have been part-time residents in the town for over three decades. He currently serves as a volunteer member of the Castine Fire and Rescue Department.

“After speaking to students, faculty, and staff, I found the common denominator between these groups was the need for an empathetic person with a strong background in leadership, who also cared about the Town of Castine and the student experience on campus. We found those elements in Captain Cooper and my peers and I are very excited to have him on campus,” said 2/C MIDN Odegaard Fields, Regimental Commander of the Regiment of Midshipman.

Captain Cooper commanded Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan from January 2006 to December 2008, and served as Defense and Naval Attaché and Senior Defense
Official, United States Embassy Tokyo, Japan from August 2010 until August 2013 where he was honored with the award of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Emperor of Japan.

In September 2013, Captain Cooper retired from active duty and subsequently joined Vega Energy Partners, Ltd in Houston, Texas as part of their Business Development team. From 2013 until 2022, Captain Cooper worked on large scale energy infrastructure projects culminating in several interstate natural gas pipelines and the international LNG terminal at Cove Point, Maryland.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various campaign medals. He has accumulated over 3000 flight hours and 690 arrested landings including 250 night landings.

Captain Justin D. Cooper II is a graduate of Trinity University in Texas with bachelor’s degrees in computer science and business administration and was commissioned in November 1982. He is a distinguished graduate of Air Command and Staff College, holds a Masters’s Degree in Public Administration from Auburn University, and was a National Security Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.