Captain Eckhoff, a native of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management Engineering, where he was commissioned through the NROTC program.  He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2012 with a Master of Business Administration and holds a certificate of Information Systems from the same.
 
His first operational assignment flying the mighty SH-60B Seahawk as a junior officer was with the “Battlecats” of HSL-43, where he deployed aboard USS Jarrett (FFG 33) and USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60).  After transitioning to the MH-60R Seahawk, he served with the “Wolf Pack” of HSM-75, embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) supporting Operation Enduring Freedom with Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN.  As a department head with the HSM-37 “Easy Riders”, he deployed as Detachment SEVEN Officer in Charge aboard USS Chung Hoon (DDG 93) supporting Pacific Presence Operations with Carrier Strike Group THREE.

His last operational tour was as the Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of the “Bluehawks” of HSM-78, where he deployed on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) with Carrier Air Wing TWO.

His shore tours include United States European Command, as the Special Operations Branch Chief, J-3 directorate, and as Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor pilot with the HSM-41 “Seahawks”, where he served as Assistant Operations Officer and NATOPS Standardization Officer and was named the Instructor Pilot of the Year in 2012. Selected for the nuclear aviation pipeline, he is a graduate of Naval Nuclear Power School and reported to USS Nimitz in October 2024 as the Executive Officer, homeported in Bremerton, WA.
 
CAPT Eckhoff has logged over 3,100 flight hours in the H-60 Seahawk. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and other personal, unit, and service awards.