CDR Mahaffey

Past Commanding Officer, Beachmaster Unit 1 (BMU 1)

10 October 2020 CDR Kelly Mahaffey a native of California, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Minor in Spanish. 

At sea, her first division officer tour was in USS TORTUGA (LSD 46) as the Electrical Officer. There she qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer and received her EOOW certification. She completed her second division officer tour in USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) serving as First and Second Division Officers. Her Department Head tours include Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer in USS PORT ROYAL (CG 73). During these tours she deployed numerous times to the Arabian Gulf and the Pacific in support Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom to include a BALTOPS deployment.

Ashore, she served as Port Operations Officer onboard Naval Support Activity, Souda Bay; as a Resource Sponsor for Amphibious Ships on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV N953); as the Head Officer Promotion Planner (OPNAV N131); as the Director of Staff at Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center; and as the Force SAPR Officer on the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Force U.S. Pacific Fleet. CDR Mahaffey holds an Executive Master in Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Arts Degree in National Security & Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and was a member of the National Defense University’s Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL 15).

CDR Mahaffey assumed Command of the Beachmaster Unit ONE (BMU-1) in June 2020, after fleeting from her tour there as the Executive Officer from December 2018 to May 2020.

CDR Mahaffey’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards), the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) to include numerous campaign and unit awards.