Cmdr. CHRISTOPHER R. GOSTEL
Executive Officer, USS Cole (DDG 67)
12 November 2024
Commander Christopher R. Gostel, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, enlisted in the Navy in 2004. Following initial recruit training, he attended Hospital Corps “A” school and Field Medical Service “C” school. He deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq as a member of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Casualty Evacuation Team. Selected for the Seaman to Admiral – 21 program, he graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Information Systems.
Afloat, Commander Gostel served as Auxiliaries Officer in USS Stout (DDG 55) and Navigator in USS Russell (DDG 59). As department head, he served in USS Antietam (CG 54) as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer. His time at sea included extensive underway operations in 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Fleets.
Ashore, he served on the staffs of Afloat Training Group - Norfolk, U.S. Second Fleet, and Joint Interagency Task Force – South, Key West.
Commander Gostel earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kenan-Flagler School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
His awards include the Air Medal (two strike/flights), Marine Combat Aircrew Wings (three gold stars), and various other personal, unit, and campaign awards.