William “Doug” Pfeifle, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, received his commission through the Navy ROTC program at University of Pennsylvania in May 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in economics. While waiting for flight training, he attended Troy University and earned a Master of Science in international relations. Designated a naval aviator in August 1993, he completed SH-60F fleet replacement pilot training with Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 1 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994.

Pfeifle’s operational assignments included initial and department head tours with the “Tridents” of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 3 at NAS Jacksonville. As a “Trident,” he held the jobs of Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS), operations and maintenance officer. While on Carrier Air Wing 3 staff, he served as the combat search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and air plans officer. His four deployments in support of operations Allied Force, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom were aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Pfeifle also deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq in 2006 in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Ashore, he served as an operational test director at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 and member of the Joint Staff’s Joint Advanced Warfighting Program at the Institute for Defense Analyses. From JAWP, Pfeifle attended the Air Force’s Air War College, where he earned a Master of Science in national security studies in 2008. He reported to Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Pacific in February 2009 as executive officer and later served as its fifth commanding officer. In 2011, Pfeifle was assigned to OPNAV N432D at the Pentagon, where he managed the Navy and Marine Corps Flying Hour Program. He was Recruit Training Command’s commanding officer from June 2014 to August 2016 and then served as Naval Service Training Command chief of staff until March 2020.

In April 2020, he participated in the Department of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes SkillBridge program, which led to a position with Abbott Laboratories’ Molecular Diagnostics Division. He retired from the Navy as a captain and started with Abbott in August 2020.

Pfeifle assumed the role of executive director at Center for Information Warfare Training in September 2025.

During his 29-year military career, Pfeifle earned the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and various service, unit and campaign awards. He flew over 2,500 hours in H-60 helicopters.

Last Updated: 1 February 2026