Commander Zach “Bin” Laden, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He received his commission through Officer Candidate School after graduating from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics in 2005. Following commissioning, he began flight training in Pensacola, Florida and earned his “wings of gold” in September 2011.
 
Commander Laden’s operational assignments began with the “Dusty Dogs” of HSC-7 from August 2012 to August 2015, deploying aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He later served with Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW-5) “Team Badman” in Iwakuni, Japan from February 2018 to February 2020, completing four patrols aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). He completed his Department Head tour with the “Dragon Slayers” of HSC-11 from January 2021 to June 2023, returning to the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and serving as both the Operations Officer and Maintenance Officer.

Ashore, Commander Laden was a Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) Instructor Pilot with the “Fleet Angels” of HSC-2 at Naval Station Norfolk from September 2015 to February 2018, serving as the Standardization Officer. He also served as the Training and Readiness Officer on the staff of Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic (HSCWL) from February 2020 to January 2021. In 2023, he was selected for the Navy’s Political Military Master’s Program.

Commander Laden has flown over 2,200 flight hours in the MH-60S Knighthawk. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and four Navy Commendation Medals. He holds a Master of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
 

Last Updated: 17 November 2025