Colonel Daniel T. Celotto enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996, and was assigned to 2nd Recruit Training BN, MCRD Parris Island. Upon graduation from the school of infantry and (0352) Anti-Tank Guided Missile School, he was assigned to Weapons Co., 2nd Bn 8th Marine Regiment in July 1997 as an 0352, Tow-Gunner.
In August 1998, LCpl Celotto was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning program. After graduating the Basic School and Communications School, his initial assignment was to second Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment where he served as the Communications Officer, S-6, and Headquarters Battery Commander.
In May 2002, 1st Lieutenant Celotto was assigned to 2d Tank Battalion as the Communications Platoon Commander. In December 2002, he deployed with the Battalion and subsequently attached to 5th Marine Regiment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In May 2003, Captain Celotto was assigned to Command and Control Systems School where he served as a Faculty Advisor and Instructor for the Communications and Information Systems Officer Course. Following his instructor billet, in July 2005, Captain Celotto reported to Expeditionary Warfare School and graduated in May 2006.
In July 2006, he reported for duty as the Operations Officer for Marine Wing Communications Squadron-28. In July 2007 he took command of Company Alpha and deployed to Iraqi in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08. Immediately following his return from deployment, Captain Celotto was frocked to the Rank of Major and directed to report as an Individual Augment to Joint Task Force Horn of Africa in Djibouti. As an augment, he served as the Liaison Officer to the US Africa Command Headquarters. Returning from Africa in May 2009, he reported to Marine Corps Command and Staff College and graduated in June 2010.
Following Command and Staff graduation, Major Celotto was assigned to the Joint Staff Support Center where he served as the Senior Communications Watch Officer, Operations Team 5, with the Defense Information Systems Agency directly supporting the J-3 of the Joint Staff.
In July 2013, he joined the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), serving as the Communications Officer, S-6. While assigned to the 24th MEU, Major Celotto deployed to Moron Air Base, Spain as part of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force, Crisis Response and the Iwo Jima ARG in support of US Central Command.
The MEU returned to Camp Lejeune in July of 2015 and shortly after, Major Celotto was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps C4 Department for duty as an action officer in the Network Plans and Policies Division. In September 2016, LtCol Celotto assumed the duties of Deputy Division Chief for Network Plans and Policies and in July 2017 the position of Operations Officer for the Strategic Plans Division.
In June of 2018 LtCol Celotto assumed the position as Military Assistant to the Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense. In June of 2019 LtCol Celotto assumed the duties of Inspector Instructor for 6th Communication Battalion in Brooklyn, NY.
Upon completion of I&I duty in June of 2021, LtCol Celotto reported as the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ National Security Fellow to the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was promoted to his current rank on 1 September 2021.
On 1 July 2022 Col Celotto reported to the Army War College as a faculty instructor with the Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations.
Col Celotto holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Canisius College, a master of science in business administration and management from Boston University and is a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School.