Captain Danny Nowicki was born in Oregon and was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a 1995 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1997.
Operationally, he was first assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 43 flying the SH-60B Seahawk helicopter and deployed with detachments on board USS PRINCETON (CG 59) and USS DE WERT (FFG 45). From 2004 to 2005 he served as the Safety Officer on USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3) which deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and won both the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award and Battle “E” Award.
He completed his department head tour as a member of HSL-51 in Atsugi, Japan. He led a detachment on board USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) and deployed with Carrier Air Wing 5 in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean and later served as the HSL-51 Maintenance Officer.
From February 2012 to June 2014, Captain Nowicki served as the Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of HSL-37, stationed at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. During his tour the “Easyriders” transitioned to Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) 37, operated both the SH-60B and MH-60R, won the Golden Wrench Award for maintenance excellence, the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award, and the Battle “E” Award.
From August 2016 to September 2019, Captain Nowicki served as the Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of USS AMERICA (LHA 6). During his tour, AMERICA made her first operational deployment and was awarded back-to-back Battle “E” Awards, and the CNO Safety Award.
Shore assignments included: duty as a flight instructor at Helicopter Training Squadron 8; training department head at HSM-41; Staff Officer at Joint Functional Component Command Global Strike; United States Strategic Command in Omaha, Nebraska; and Deputy Operations and Staff Officer at Naval Air Forces Pacific.
Captain Nowicki earned his master’s in Education from the University of West Florida and is a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College. He has flown over 3,000 flight hours and his personal decorations including the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various other personal and unit awards. He served at Tactical Training Group Pacific where he assumed command on 16 Sep 2022 after serving as the Executive Officer since Feb 2021.
Captain Nowicki currently serves as the Professor of Naval Science and the Commanding Officer at the University of Utah Naval ROTC Unit in Salt Lake City, UT where he assumed comman on 18 April 2024.