Daniel J. Lecce

Daniel J. Lecce assumed duties as the Chief of Staff, United States Merchant Marine Academy effective August 9, 2026. In this capacity, he is a principal advisor to the Superintendent assisting in shaping policy, managing resources, and driving Academy operations.

Before arriving at the Academy, he served as the Deputy Director, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency responsible for the oversight and management of personnel and facility security clearances across the federal enterprise.

He served 35 years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous high-level leadership positions both as a commander and advisor.  As the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was responsible for the oversight, strategic direction, and resourcing of the Marine Corps uniformed legal enterprise leading a cadre of military and civilian professionals across the globe.  As the senior-most uniformed legal advisor in the United States Marine Corps, he provided strategic and service-related advice on issues including cyber law, intelligence-operations law, intelligence oversight, and military justice issues.

Prior Marine Corps assignments include serving as the Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina encompassing over 150,000 acres and home to the largest concentration of Marines in the world.  He served as the Commanding Officer of Marine Security Guard detachments protecting 21 embassies and consulates across the Middle East and South Asia.  In that position, he was responsible for leading Marines overseeing the physical security of United States diplomatic missions and their personnel.

He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh; the University of Pittsburgh School of Law; the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army School earning a Master of Laws in International Law; and the Johns Hopkins University Nitze School of Advanced International Studies earning a Master of International Public Policy.