Rear Admiral Daniel L. Kloeppel, a St. Louis native, serves as a board member emeritus of the Phi Delta Theta Foundation. Kloeppel is currently The CEO of VetJobs.org and Militaryspousejobs.org. He is a member of The Navy League, Military Officers Association, the Association of the US Navy, Reserve Officer’s Association, and the Association of Naval Aviation. In November of 2022, he will be inducted into the US Veterans Hall of Fame.
Kloeppel was commissioned as an ensign in 1970 after completing NROTC training at Northwestern University. He was designated a naval aviator in October 1972. His first operational tour was with VA-83, flying the A-7E. Following two Mediterranean cruises with Carrier Air Wing 17 aboard USS Forrestal (CV-59), he reported to Training Squadron 21 at Naval Air Station, Kingsville, Texas., where he flew the TA-4J.
In April 1977, Kloeppel transitioned to the Naval Reserve with VA-2082, flying TA-4Js at Naval Air Station, New Orleans, Louisiana. In January 1979, he reported to VA-204, serving in a variety of billets until 1989. In July 1989,he reported to VA-2082 as commanding officer until July 1990. He returned to VA-204 as executive officer. While at VA-204, the squadron transitioned from the A-7 to the F/A-18 and subsequently, he served as commanding officer of VFA 204 until July 1992. After serving in New Orleans for over fifteen years, he reported in July 1992 to USS George Washington (CVN-73) Reserve Augment Unit 0183 in Olathe, Kansas, where he served as commanding officer. His next tour was as commanding officer, navy element, joint transportation reserve unit, US transportation command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
He returned to New Orleans and became deputy for readiness, Readiness Command Region 10. His first flag assignment was deputy commander, Maritime Defense Zone Pacific, Alameda, California. Next, he was deputy commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific in San Diego, California. Then, as a collateral duty, he was assigned as commander, Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region Mid-South, Millington, Tennessee. Kloeppel was then transferred to Pensacola, Florida, where he was the deputy for training integration, chief of naval education and training. He then became the deputy commander, Third Fleet in San Diego, California. His last navy assignment was as the commander, naval air force reserve, and vice commander, naval reserve forces command. In addition, R.Adm. Kloeppel has served in the following active-duty flag billets: deputy commander, joint task force, Southwest Asia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; commander, Iceland Defense Force, Keflavik, Iceland; director, plans and policy, US transportation command, Scott AFB; commander, Naval Strike Air Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada; vice chief of naval education and training, in Pensacola; and commander, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois.
His awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various other unit and campaign awards. He is a graduate of Executive and Reserve Component programs at the Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate School, National Defense University, and Harvard University. R.Adm. Kloeppel retired as a commercial pilot, serving with Ozark, Trans World, and American Airlines, and accumulated over 30,000 hours of flight time.