Capt. Benjamin W. Oakes

Commanding Officer, USS New York (LPD 21)

07 October 2022

A native of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, CAPT Oakes received his commission from the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a BS in Economics and a Spanish Minor in 1999.

At sea, CAPT Oakes completed Division Officer tours aboard USS Ford (FFG 54) as Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, Electrical Officer and Navigator from April 2000 to October 2002 and USS Monsoon (PC 4) as Executive Officer, Operations Officer, and Training Officer from October 2002 to May 2004.  His Department Head tours were onboard USS Shoup (DDG 86) as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer from July 2007 to July 2010.  CAPT Oakes served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of USS Pinckney (DDG 91) from June 2016 to July 2019.   CAPT Oakes assumed command of USS New York (LPD 21) in October 2022.

Ashore, CAPT Oakes earned a Masters in Leadership and Human Resources Management from the Naval Postgraduate School and was the 24th Company Officer at USNA from 2004-2006.  Additionally, he served as Deputy Executive Assistant and Flag Aide to Commander Fleet Cyber Command / Commander U.S. Tenth Fleet from August 2010 to September 2011 and Deputy Director, Professional Development at USNA from October 2011 to December 2012.  He completed a successful joint tour at U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany as a J35 Future Operations / Crisis Action Planner from January 2013 to October 2015.  Most recently, CAPT Oakes served at Commander Navy Personnel Command as PERS-41 O4/O5 Branch Head (PERS-410/411) from July 2019 to November 2020 and Deputy Director/Captains Detailer (41A) from November 2020 to February 2022. 

CAPT Oakes is most proud to wear numerous unit and campaign awards amongst his personal awards.