COMMANDING OFFICER

Crystal L. Schaefer
COMMANDER, UNITED STATES NAVY
78TH COMMANDING OFFICER
USS CONSTITUTION

Commander Crystal Schaefer is a native of Medford, WI and earned her commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Program. She is a 2003 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and earned a master's degree in Business and Administration from the Carlson School of Management.

At sea, she served as Strike Officer onboard USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), Reactor Propulsion Division Officer onboard USS

Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Operations Officer onboard USS Pinckney (DDG 91), Chemistry and Radiological Controls Officer onboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), and Assistant Reactor Officer onboard USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77).

Ashore, Crystal served as Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Naval Reserve Officer

Training Corp, Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) Officer in Charge for U.S. Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy, and Prospective Commanding Officer Course Coordinator at the Surface Warfare Schools Command in Newport, RI.

Her personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corp Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal (four awards), and various unit, campaign, and service awards.

Commander Schaefer assumed duties as the 78th Commanding Officer of USS Constitution on June 21, 2024.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Robert J. Dreitz
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, UNITED STATES NAVY
EXECUTIVE OFFICER, USS CONSTITUTION

Lt. Cmdr. Robert Dreitz is a native of Cope, CO. He reported to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois in May 2001 and began his career as a Hospital Corpsman.

His assignments as a Hospital Corpsman include Hospital Corpsman “A” school Great Lakes, Field Medical Service School Camp Pendleton, CA, 3rd Medical Battalion Okinawa, Japan, Naval Medical Research Unit-3 Cairo, Egypt, and Naval Health Clinic Quantico, Virginia.

In 2008, he was selected for the Seaman-to-Admiral commissioning program and attended the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2011, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a commission as a Surface Warfare Officer.

His afloat tours include Force Protection Officer and Auxiliary Officer in USS TAYLOR (FFG 50), Combat Systems Officer in USS NEW ORLEANS (LPD 18), and First Lieutenant in USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7).

Ashore, Lt. Cmdr. Dreitz has served as a student at the Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia and Naval Instructor and Class Officer at Naval Education and Training Command Newport, Rhode Island.

Lt. Cmdr. Dreitz holds a Master in Business Administration from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.

His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (four awards) and various unit and campaign awards. He is authorized to wear the Surface Warfare and Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Warfare Specialist insignia.

COMMAND SENIOR CHIEF

Nicolas Albanese
SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER, UNITED STATES NAVY
COMMAND SENIOR CHIEF, USS CONSTITUTION

Senior Chief Petty Officer Albanese was born in Waltham, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the United States Navy on 21 Aug 2005, where he then attended Recruit Basic Training in Great Lakes, IL. After basic training he attended Seaman ATD School.

He reported to his first duty station USS Ford FFG-54 as an undesignated Seaman in December of 2005. While onboard he advanced from Seaman Recruit to Boatswain mate 2nd class, earning his Enlisted Surface Warfare qualification and both Deck and Unrep Safety qualifications. He worked his way to Work center Supervisor and ultimately Deck Division Leading Petty Officer. During his tour he completed 2 CARAT deployments, 2 MIO deployments and 1 RIMPAC.

In December of 2010 he reported to Naval Support Activity Gaeta. He was advanced to Petty Officer First Class in June of 2011 and served as Port Operations Leading Petty Officer. During his tour he earned a General Associate's Degree from the University of Maryland University College and his Harbor Master qualification. In January 2014 he reported to USS MUSTIN DDG-89 to serve as Deck Division Leading Petty Officer. He was selected to Chief Petty Officer in September 2014 and assumed the role of Deck Leading Chief Petty Officer. During his tour on MUSTIN he completed 6 FDNF-J patrols to include national tasking in the small boat recovery of the U.S Navy’s underwater unmanned vehicle from the Chinese P.L.A Navy. 

In April 2017 he reported onboard USS Ross DDG-71 as the Deck Leading Chief Petty. He was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer in July 2018 and assumed the role of Operations Department Leading Chief Petty Officer. During his tour on ROSS he completed 7 FDNF-E patrols to include operations in Arctic, Black and Red Sea’s. In May 2020 he reported to the United States Naval Academy to serve as 15th Company Senior Enlisted Leader and 3rd Battalion Leading Chief Petty Officer. He was selected for the Command Senior Chief program in February 2023.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Albanese’s awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards), and various service and campaign awards. He is a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Academy Class 225 and COB/CMC Class 23130.