Capt. Karl Brandl is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, He enlisted in the Navy in 1992, completing the enlisted nuclear training program as a Nuclear Machinist Mate and served aboard USS Bainbridge (CGN 25) before selection to the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp. (NROTC). Brandl graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, earning his commission as a Naval Officer. He holds a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University.
Afloat, Brandl completed his division officer tours aboard the destroyer USS John Young (DD 973) as the Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, USS Valley Forge (CG 50) as the Automated Data Processing Officer, and then aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) as Machinery Division Officer. His Department Head tours were aboard USS Green Bay (LPD 20) as Operations Officer, and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as the Reactor Electrical Assistant. He was Executive Officer of LCS Crew 103 aboard USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) and USS Detroit (LCS 7). Following his Executive Officer tour, he was Commanding Officer of LCS Crew 204 aboard USS Jackson (LCS 6) and USS Omaha (LCS 12). During his sea tours he made one North Atlantic deployment, one deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Standing Naval Forces, Atlantic, and three deployments to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Global War on Terror.
Ashore, he served as a NROTC Instructor at University of California, Berkeley, and staff tours at Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific, and Commander, Naval Surface Forces, Pacific.
Brandl’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) and various unit citations.