Rear Adm. (Ret) Daniel “Brian” Hendrickson holds a Bachelor of Science in English from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. Additionally, he has completed courses at the Air Command and Staff College and Joint Forces Staff College and was a 2015-2016 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Seminar XXI Fellow. Hendrickson received his commission from the United States Naval Academy in May 1987.
After a tour as a division officer aboard the USS Aquila (PHM-4), he transferred to Naval Special Warfare and completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 1990.
Hendrickson’s tours in Naval Special Warfare include assignments to SEAL Team 1, SEAL Team 3, Naval Special Warfare Support Activity 1, Naval Special Warfare Unit 4, Naval Special Warfare Group 1, Naval Special Warfare Group 10 and Naval Special Warfare Command. Joint assignments include United States Military Group Colombia, Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF)-Horn of Africa, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF)-Arabian Peninsula, CJSOTF-Afghanistan, JSOTF-Philippines and United States Special Operations Command. His service overseas includes Operations Restore Hope, Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Previous flag officer assignments have included assistant to the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, military deputy at the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, and director Theater Engagement (J7) U.S. Southern Command. He served his final assignment as director, Network Engagement Team, U.S. Southern Command.