Timothy Dahms

Lieutenant Commander, Civil Engineer Corps, U.S. Navy

Timothy Dahms is an active-duty U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer and former Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Naval Support Unit (NSU), Department of State. Raised in Waukesha, Wisconsin, he commissioned into the U.S. Navy after earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2010 and obtained his Professional Engineer license in 2016. Throughout his Navy career, Timothy has held assignments worldwide, including roles with the Officer in Charge of Construction at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC; Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 in Gulfport, MS; and Naval Base Guam Public Works Department and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Marianas in Guam before leading NSU.

After leaving the NSU in 2021, Timothy earned a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Stanford University in 2022. He has since served with the Officer in Charge of Construction at China Lake in Ridgecrest, CA, and NAVFAC Southwest in San Diego, CA. An active member of the Society of American Military Engineers, Timothy regularly presents technical and leadership topics at national conferences. Leading up to his first book, Detachment November, he has written articles about NSU for State Magazine and The Military Engineer. Timothy currently resides in San Diego with his wife Maurissa.

ISBN:979-8-89138-406-4

Price:$28.00

Publication Date:April 1, 2025

Detachment November

The Unclassified Story of U.S. Navy Seabees in Diplomatic Security

In 1964, as the Cold War raged, a clandestine team of U.S. Navy Seabees embarked on a high-stakes mission in the heart of Moscow. Code-named Detachment November, their mission was to protect American secrets in a hostile land. That mission forged a partnership between the State Department and the Seabees that has safeguarded U.S. personnel and classified information for over 55 years.

Detachment November is the untold story of that partnership—the Naval Support Unit (NSU).

Organized into three riveting parts, this book takes you from the Cold War origins of the NSU to its critical role in today’s escalating global tensions. You’ll meet the highly skilled Seabees who operate in 50 locations worldwide, uncovering their involvement in world-changing events:

The Prague Spring (1968)
The Khartoum assassinations (1973)
The fall of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran (1979)
The Salvadoran Civil War (1979)
The Beirut Bombings (1983-84)
The Dar es Salaam and Nairobi Bombings (1998)
The war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq (2001-Present)

Drawing on exclusive access to classified archives and firsthand accounts from NSU veterans, former NSU Officer in Charge Timothy Dahms reveals the leadership lessons, harrowing experiences, and cultural encounters that have shaped this remarkable unit.

Detachment November is a thrilling journey through history, a testament to the enduring power of partnership, and a tribute to the unsung heroes who work in the shadows to keep America safe.

Business, Politics

Politics Only

Motivational Speaking

Sports

General Stuff

Timothy Dahms

Detachment November

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