Relentless Positivity

Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1985. His Navy career centered around aviation training and operations,
and he served extensively as an instructor
pilot in numerous operational and training tours around the
world. During his career, Cozad commanded at various levels
within naval aviation and joint multi-service in five critical
assignments. Ashore, he served in a variety of diverse leadership
positions within the Navy and Department of Defense, including as the
22^nd Senior Director in the White House Situation Room,
Commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, and Commander of
the Naval Education and Training Command.




Following a service-connected spinal cord injury in 2018,
Cozad recovered and returned to full service, completing his
final thirty months of active duty as the Navy's only
wheelchair-bound flag officer. During that time, he became an
advocate for disability awareness and competed in the 2019 Department of
Defense Warrior Games. Prior to his retirement, Cozad was recognized
as one of the Department of
Defense's top employees with disabilities in
2020. After a thirty-five-year career in the Navy, Cozad joined
the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation as the President and Chief Executive
Officer in October 2020. Today, he resides in Pensacola,
Florida--affectionately known as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation." Since
his injury, Cozad has dedicated countless hours mentoring
other spinal cord injury victims through their individual
recoveries.