An Iranian-American Military Officer Appointed Commander of the U.S. Navy's Strike Group 2

Admiral Keyvan 'Hok' Hakimzadeh has been appointed as the commander of Strike Group 2 of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East. CENTCOM noted on its X account that the command of Strike Group 2 is now in very capable hands. The history of this strike group dates back to 1931 and includes 9 squadrons, currently part of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Middle East, with a mission to support maritime security and stability in the region. This strike group also participated in U.S. operations against the Islamic State group known as 'ISIS' in 2014. Admiral Hakimzadeh, born in the 1960s in Texas to an Iranian father and an American mother, moved to Iran as a child but his family was forced to leave the country and return to the U.S. following the 1979 Iranian Revolution. This Iranian-American military officer graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and began working in the U.S. Navy training command in 1992. He holds a master's degree from Old Dominion University, the Naval War College, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Throughout his career, Mr. Hakimzadeh has commanded operational squadrons on the USS Harry Truman and USS Mount Whitney, and served as the executive officer on the USS John C. Stennis. Other positions include strike warfare analyst and executive assistant in Pentagon military missions. Admiral Hakimzadeh has over 3100 flight hours and has received the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.