Cmdr. Nicholas S. Heiliger
Executive Officer, USS Cooperstown (LCS 23)
15 July 2025
Commander Heiliger, from Clover, South Carolina, earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. After serving as an Intelligence Specialist in the Reserves from 2005 to 2007, he was selected as a Surface Warfare Officer through the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program and was commissioned in April 2009 via Officer Candidate School.
His shipboard assignments include Ordnance Officer and Force Protection Officer on USS CARR (FFG 52) from 2009 to 2011, Navigator on USS MAHAN (DDG 72) from 2011 to 2012, and Operations Officer on USS HIGGINS (DDG 76) from 2017 to 2018.
Ashore, CDR Heiliger was Division Officer and Officer Recruiter at Navy Recruiting District Raleigh from 2013 to 2016 (Upstate SC and NC Mountains region), Operations Officer on the staff of COMDESRON 60/CTF 65 from 2018 to 2020, Deputy Director of Current Operations for United States Second Fleet from 2020 to 2023, and Operations Officer on the staff of COMDESRON 40/CTF 45 from 2023 to 2024.
He is currently serving as the Executive Officer on USS COOPERSTOWN (LCS 23).
CDR Heiliger is authorized to wear the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (6), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4), and various unit and campaign awards.