Rate/Rank: CAPT, Navy SEAL
Hometown: Miami, FL
Service: 1990–Present

Captain (CAPT) Keith Davids is no stranger to athletic competition. At age 11, when most kids were playing video games, he was running his first marathon in excruciating heat. A native of Miami, Florida, he began competitive sailing at the age of nine and quickly became a state, national and North American Youth Sailing champion.

The majority of Keith’s athletic youth was spent sailing, and he represented the United States in three sailboat youth world championships, always placing in the top ten. In high school, Davids competed as a wrestler and won the district championship in his first year.

Davids was recruited to the United States Naval Academy for sailing and became an honorable mention all-American in his freshman year. He was recognized as an all-American his remaining three years in college, and in 1988, he placed seventh in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

CAPT Davids graduated from the Naval Academy in 1990 and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training (BUD/S) with Class 177. His operational assignments have included: Assistant Platoon Commander and Platoon Commander tours at SEAL Team TWO; Naval Special Warfare Assistant Task Unit Commander, USS America Battle Group with Naval Special Warfare Group TWO; Element Leader and Squadron Operations Officer at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group; and Task Unit Commander and Executive Officer at SEAL Team SEVEN.

CAPT Davids’ staff assignments have included: Associate Fellow, Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group; Aide-de-Camp for Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet; Military Aide to the President of the United States; and Operations Officer and Director of Training at the Naval Special Warfare Center.

He graduated with distinction from the Naval Postgraduate School and earned a master of science degree in systems management. CAPT Davids’ personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star with combat “V,” the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal with combat “V,” and various other personal and campaign medals, such as the Combat Action Ribbon and the prestigious Presidential Unit Citation.

CAPT Davids is married to CAPT Yvette Davids, also a Naval Academy graduate. Keith Davids currently serves as the Captain of SEAL Team ONE.