Captain Matthew Cieslukowski is the Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Strategic Command, at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He is a native of Norwich, Connecticut. He is a 1998 graduate of the University of Virginia earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and was commissioned into the United States Navy through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Captain Cieslukowski earned a Master of Arts Degree (with distinction) in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island while concurrently completing the Naval Operational Planners Course in 2009.
Captain Cieslukowski’s sea assignments include an initial operational tour on USS Cushing (DD 985) in Yokosuka, Japan as First Lieutenant and Training Officer. He later served with Beachmaster Unit One (BMU 1) in Coronado, California as Operations Officer. His Department Head tours included USS Jarrett (FFG 33) in San Diego, California as Combat Systems Officer, and USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) as Operations Officer both also in San Diego, California. His first Commanding Officer and Executive Officer tours were onboard USS Sterett (DDG 104) and his most recent operational assignment prior to reporting to United States Strategic Command was as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of USS BOXER (LHD 4).
Ashore, Captain Cieslukowski served as an Officer Recruiter in Navy Recruiting District New York; Adversary Planner and member of the Commander’s Design Team in U.S. Strategic Command Offutt, Nebraska; Chief of Naval Operations Twenty-Third International Seapower Symposium Coordinator and as Naval Strategy Panel Operational Planning Team lead in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Staff, Washington D.C.
During his career he completed five at sea deployments, three to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf and twice to the South and Central America. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), Naval Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Legion of Merit (2 awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal and various unit commendations and service campaign awards.
(Current as of June 2024)