Rear Adm. Sands is a native of Farmington, Connecticut and graduated from The United States Naval Academy in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography.  He holds a Master’s in Military Strategy and Planning from the Joint Advanced Warfighting School in Norfolk, Virginia. 

His operational tours included surface warfare officer assignments onboard Newport-class tank landing ship USS Saginaw (LST 1188) and Spruance-class destroyer USS John Rodgers (DD 983).  After graduating Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL (BUD/S) training with class 203, he was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1. Additional assignments include two tours with SEAL Team 2, and assignment to a joint task force in Afghanistan. Sands served as an operations officer for a joint task force in Iraq; chief of staff, Naval Special Warfare Group 2; and chief of staff, Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He commanded SEAL Team 8, a Joint Task Force in Iraq, and Naval Special Warfare Group 2.

Ashore Sands was a joint planner at Special Operations Command, Europe; a Counter Terrorism and Public Policy Fellow at Duke University’s Sanford, School of Public Policy as part of the Navy’s Federal Executive Fellowship program; director of Counter Terrorism and Operations for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict; deputy operations officer, Joint Special Operations Command; and vice president, Joint Special Operations University. 

Sands' flag officer tours include chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command; commander, Special Operations Command Africa; and commander, Naval Service Training Command.

Sands is authorized to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal (2 awards), Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Bronze Star Medal (2 awards), as well as various other personal, unit and service awards.
 

Last Updated: 6 August 2024