Ever since he was a little boy, Capt. Douglas MacCrea knew he wanted to be in the military, though he couldn’t decide among the Air Force, Marines or Navy.

In the 1970s, MacCrea joined the ROTC at Iowa State and became a member of the Navy. In 1977, he graduated with a degree in distributed studies.

Nearly 30 years later, MacCrea has returned to Iowa State to become the new chairman of the naval sciences department and professor of naval sciences.

MacCrea said he would like to increase the number of people in the unit by 50 percent. He hopes to improve awareness of sister branches, such as the Army and Air Force, and build understanding and appreciation for them.

MacCrea’s duties at Iowa State include supervising the operation of the department, professors and classes. He is also responsible for academic courses, ensuring that they meet university standards.

“It’s my passion, and I understand this stuff,” he said.

MacCrea said he will try to educate and mentor students by finding a common ground to relate principles and concepts he learned at Iowa State in the 1970s to today’s generation of students.

After his contract at Iowa State ends on Sept. 1, 2007, MacCrea will undergo mandatory retirement. MacCrea said he came back to Iowa State because his family was here and the job opened at a good time.

“I thought it would be kind of nice to finish where I started,” MacCrea said.

MacCrea’s former secretary, Robin Holland, described him as a dynamic leader.

“MacCrea’s presence alone will create an environment that is conducive to self-motivation,” Holland said. “Capt. MacCrea will definitely have a positive influence on students at Iowa State. MacCrea is tough, but fair. You’ll find that MacCrea genuinely cares for his people.”

In August, MacCrea came to Iowa State from the Training Support Center at Hampton Roads, Va., where he was a commanding officer. He also served on several sea duty assignments, including the USS Hawes and the USS Halyburton, on which he was the executive officer.

Robert Hartling served as MacCrea’s commanding officer aboard the U.S.S. Halyburton. MacCrea said Hartling is his role model because he had so much patience. MacCrea said they shared a professional bond and then became good friends. He described their relationship as one of the rarest between a commanding officer and executive officer.

“He could start a sentence and I could finish it,” MacCrea said. “This is the desired outcome [of] every commanding officer and executive officer relationship.”

Hartling said in an e-mail message that he met MacCrea in 1987 in Newport, R.I., where they were instructors at the Surface Warfare Officer Schools Command.

Hartling said MacCrea will do well at Iowa State.

“He is a professional Naval Officer of flawless integrity,” Hartling said. “In short, he will provide an atmosphere that is positive about what [ROTC students] are doing, what they will do when commissioned and imbue in them the standards by which officers in the military service live: Integrity, honor, courage, selflessness and dedication to duty.”