Steven Maffeo

Steve Maffeo is the Associate Library Director at the U.S. Air Force Academy; a position he’s held for the past twenty-one years. For the five years prior to that he was a reference librarian at the Academy, with specific subject-liaison duties with the Department of History - among others.

Mr. Maffeo holds a B.A. (English) from the University of Colorado; an M.A. (Library Science) from the University of Denver; and an M.S. (Strategic Intelligence) from the U.S. National Defense Intelligence College. His civilian career has for the most part been as a line librarian and as a library administrator - at the University of Northern Colorado (Greeley); the U.S. Naval War College (Newport, R.I.); the Aurora (Colo.) Public Library; and the Air Force Academy.

In 2008, Steve retired as a Navy captain – after 30 years (both enlisted and commissioned) in the Colorado Army National Guard, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Naval Reserve. He had many assignments with many outfits; the last were as Commanding Officer, Office of Naval Intelligence Reserve Unit 0287 in Salt Lake City; Commanding Officer, Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Detachment Denver; and Director, National Defense Intelligence College Part-Time Programs, Washington DC. He was called to active duty 1990-1991 during Desert Shield/​Storm, at NORAD /​ U.S. Space Command as a watch-team commander and flag-officer briefer. His awards include the Legion of Merit, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a USAF Civilian Meritorious Service Medal, and a USAF Exemplary Civilian Service Medal. He also holds USAF Excellence-in-Competition Bronze Badges, for both rifle and pistol.

Steve has published several journal articles, an encyclopedia article, and two books: Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis /​ Chatham Publishing, London, 2001), and Seize, Burn, or Sink: The Thoughts and Words of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson (Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Md., 2006). He’s just finished a third book, The Perfect Wreck: “Old Ironsides” and HMS Java, 1812.

He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife Rhonda (a programmer/​analyst), and his son Micah (a martial arts 2nd degree black belt and “Life”-rank Boy Scout).