Rear Admiral Dan “Undra” Cheever is the Chief of Staff (CS), North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.
He is the principal advisor to the Combatant Commander and Deputy Commanders on the activities of the command staff. Additionally, he oversees command policies and programs that support the commander’s priorities and mission to defend North America and provide Defense Support to Civil Authorities.
Rear Adm. Cheever is a native of Downers Grove, Illinois and is a 1986 graduate of Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Business degree. After college, he worked for a Fortune 500 corporation and attended the University of Hawaii. He joined the Navy in 1988 and was designated a Naval aviator in 1990.
Rear Adm. Cheever’s sea tours include command of Carrier Strike Group FOUR; CAG tour with CVW-8 in Oceana, VA on USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) from 2012 to 2015; CO tour with VFA-147 in NAS Lemoore, CA on USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) from 2005 to 2008; Department Head tour with VFA-147 from 2000 to 2002; Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor tour with VFA-146 from 1998 to 2000; Junior Officer tour with VFA-195 in Atsugi, Japan on USS Independence (CV 62) from 1991 to 1995.
He served as the Naval Amphibious Liaison Element for Commander, 6th Fleet at 17th Air Force in Ramstein, Germany and as the Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in CENTCOM in 2011.
His shore tours include Director of Strategy, Policy & Plans (J5), NORAD and USNORTHCOM from June 2020 to August 2022; Commander, Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, Fallon, Nevada from 2017 to 2019; Chief of Staff to Commander, Naval Air Forces, North Island, CA 2015 to 2017; department head for Topgun and Strike at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada from 2008 to 2011; aide de camp to Gen. Richard B. Myers, U.S. Air Force, 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon from 2002 to 2004; instructor, Navy Fighter Weapons School, Miramar, California / Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada from 1995 to 1998; VFA-125, NAS Lemoore, California from 1990 to1991.
Cheever has accumulated over 5,000 flight hours and over 1,100 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (3), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3), Air Medal Strike/Flight and various campaign, unit and service awards.
(Current as of August 2022)