Keith Davids
{{Short description|American naval admiral (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Keith Davids
|image = Keith B. Davids (3).jpg
|office = Director of the White House Military Office
|president = Donald Trump
Joe Biden
|term_start = September 6, 2017
|term_end = March 9, 2021
|predecessor = Dabney Kern
|successor = Maju Varghese
|birth_name = Keith Bently Davids
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}}
|birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse = Yvette M. Davids
|children = 2
|education = United States Naval Academy (BS)
Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
National War College (MS)
|allegiance = United States
|branch = United States Navy
|serviceyears = 1990–2024
|rank = Rear Admiral
|commands = Naval Special Warfare Command
Special Operations Command South
Naval Special Warfare Center
Joint Special Operations Command Task Force, Iraq
SEAL Team One
|battles = War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
|mawards = Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (2)
}}
Keith Bently Davids{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/101st-congress/1011 |title=PN1011 — Navy — 101st Congress (1989–1990) |date=March 9, 1990 |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=2021-06-25}} (born 1968){{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DD8BVZeVFP4C&pg=PA195 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty |date=October 1, 1990 |page=195 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=2021-06-25}} is a retired American United States Navy special warfare officer with the rank of rear admiral. He served as the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command from 2022 to 2024.{{cite web|last=Cheek|first=Destiny|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/427675/naval-special-warfare-command-holds-change-command-ceremony|title=Naval Special Warfare Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony|date=2022-08-19|access-date=2022-08-20|publisher=Naval Special Warfare Command|location=San Diego, California|website=DVIDS}} He was the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South, United States Southern Command from 2020 to 2022. Previously, he served as director of the White House Military Office during the first presidency of Donald Trump. Earlier in his career, he was commanding officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center and SEAL Team One.
Early life and education
Davids was born and raised in Miami, Florida. After attending private schools, he graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables, Florida.{{Cite web|last=Goldstein|first=Bob|date=2019-03-26|title=For Admiral Keith Davids Navy is more than career|url=https://communitynewspapers.com/coral-gables-news/for-admiral-keith-davids-navy-is-more-than-career/|access-date=2020-09-15|website=Miami's Community News|language=en-US}} Davids graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990. He later went on to receive a Master of Science in manpower systems analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1998 and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College in 2012.{{Cite web|title=Retention of junior Naval Special Warfare officers|url=https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/32748/98Sep_Davids.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|access-date=2010-05-10|website=Naval Postgraduate School|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Keith B. Davids – Director of the White House Military Office at The White House|url=https://theorg.com/org/the-white-house/org-chart/keith-b-davids|access-date=2020-09-14|website=THE ORG|language=en|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201119052720/https://theorg.com/org/the-white-house/org-chart/keith-b-davids|url-status=dead}}
Naval career
After his commission as an ensign in the United States Navy, he received orders to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. He graduated BUD/S class 177 in 1991.{{Cite web|url=https://communitynewspapers.com/coral-gables-news/for-admiral-keith-davids-navy-is-more-than-career/|title=For Admiral Keith Davids Navy is more than career|first=Bob|last=Goldstein|date=March 26, 2019|website=Miami's Community News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119053346/https://communitynewspapers.com/coral-gables-news/for-admiral-keith-davids-navy-is-more-than-career/|archive-date=2020-11-19}} Following SEAL Tactical Training (STT) and completion of six month probationary period, he received the 1130 designator as a Naval Special Warfare Officer, entitled to wear the Special Warfare insignia also known as "SEAL Trident".
As a Navy SEAL officer, Davids served as an assistant platoon commander and platoon commander for SEAL Team Two. Davids volunteered for assignment to Naval Special Warfare Development Group at Damneck, Virginia and completed a specialized selection and training course in 1995 where he served as element leader and squadron operations officer.{{Cite web|title=Rear Admiral Keith B. Davids|url=https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2236437/rear-admiral-keith-davids/|access-date=2020-10-15|website=navy.mil|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119051749/https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Biographies/BioDisplay/Article/2236437/rear-admiral-keith-davids/|archive-date=2020-11-19|language=en-US}} Davids was promoted to Captain in September 2011.{{cite web|title=NAVADMIN 250/11 SUBJ/ACTIVE DUTY PROMOTIONS TO THE PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY GRADES OF CAPTAIN, COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, AND LIEUTENANT, LINE AND STAFF CORPS, AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER W5, W4 AND W3//|url=https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents2/NAV2011/NAV11250.txt|access-date=8 June 2012|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201119053801/https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents2/NAV2011/NAV11250.txt|url-status=dead}}
Davids served numerous command and staff assignments including executive officer of SEAL Team Seven; aide-de-camp for Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet; military aide to the President of the United States; commanding officer of SEAL Team One, deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Group Three; director of Operations at Naval Special Warfare Command; commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Center and commander of Special Operations Command South, USSOUTHCOM from 2021 to 2023. Davids was selected to serve as the director of the White House Military Office on September 6, 2017.{{Cite web|last=Perlman|first=Derek Kravitz, Al Shaw, Claire|title=Keith B. Davids {{!}} Trump Town|url=https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/keith-b-davids|access-date=2020-09-15|website=ProPublica|date=March 7, 2018 |language=en}}
Awards and decorations
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="3"|200px |
| colspan="3"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}21px22px |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Joint Service Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Joint Service Achievement Medal ribbon|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Combat_Action_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award (USMC and USN frame).svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Afghanistan Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|type=service-star|ribbon=Humanitarian Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}}18px18px18px18px |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=NATO Medal Yugoslavia ribbon bar.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon with expert device.svg|width=106}} |
| colspan="3"|200px |
| colspan="3"|50px |
| colspan="3"|120px |
Personal life
Davids and his wife, Vice Admiral Yvette M. Davids, have twin sons, Kai and Kiernan Davids.{{Cite web|date=2017-03-22|title=Meet the West Coast Reception Speaker|url=https://gsof.org/meet-west-coast-reception-speaker/|access-date=2020-09-15|website=Global SOF|language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Antonio Fletcher}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of Special Operations Command South|years=2020–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Peter D. Huntley}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Hugh W. Howard III}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of Naval Special Warfare Command|years=2022–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=Milton Sands III}}
{{s-end}}
{{Trump Executive Office}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davids, Keith}}
Category:Coral Gables Senior High School alumni
Category:Military personnel from Miami
Category:Naval Postgraduate School alumni
Category:National War College alumni
Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Naval Special Warfare Command
Category:United States Navy personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Category:United States Navy rear admirals