Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985. His Navy career centered around aviation training and operations, and he served extensively as an instructor pilot in numerous operational and training tours around the world. During his career, Cozad commanded at various levels within naval aviation and joint multi-service in five critical assignments. Ashore, he served in a variety of diverse leadership positions within the Navy and Department of Defense, including as the 22nd Senior Director in the White House Situation Room, Commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, and Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command.

Following a service-connected spinal cord injury in 2018, Cozad recovered and returned to full service, completing his final thirty months of active duty as the Navy’s only wheelchair-bound flag officer. During that time, he became an advocate for disability awareness and competed in the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games. Prior to his retirement, Cozad was recognized as one of the Department of Defense’s top employees with disabilities in 2020. After a thirty-five-year career in the Navy, Cozad joined the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation as the President and Chief Executive Officer in October 2020. Today, he resides in Pensacola, Florida—affectionately known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation.” Since his injury, Cozad has dedicated countless hours mentoring other spinal cord injury victims through their individual recoveries.