Commander Aldana was born in Angeles City, Philippines. He immigrated to the United States when he was ten years old, barely able to speak any English. His father is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer and the family moved around the country before settling in Washington State. His parents taught him that he could have a piece of the American dream if he worked hard, obtained an education, and believed in himself. Inspired by his family’s strong support and emphasis on education, he successfully navigated his way through high school, college and law school. It was in middle school that Commander Aldana first began to think about becoming a lawyer. He wanted to be part of a profession that made a difference in people’s lives. But it was in college during his internship on Capitol Hill that solidified his decision to go to law school. He realized that a law degree can be a powerful tool for change. Commander Aldana is proud to serve as a military officer and a lawyer, the only two professions mentioned in the United States Constitution. He firmly believes he has the best clients in the world - Coast Guard men and women who do their best to make a difference everyday.

Commander Aldana is currently the Deputy District Legal Officer and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate to the Coast Guard’s Thirteenth District Commander, staff and operational units within Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. He provides legal advice on a wide range of issues including maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety regulations, environmental, ethics, military justice and personnel matters. In addition to his primary duties, he serves as a military judge and is designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Commander Aldana is a 1991 graduate (cum laude) of Seattle University with a B.A. in Political Science (Honors Program). During his senior year in college, he served as the student body president, the first one elected of Asian Pacific American descent. He received his law degree in 1994 from the University of Washington School of Law, and is admitted to practice in the State of Washington, the U.S Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the U.S. Supreme Court.

He was commissioned via the Coast Guard Direct Commission Lawyer Program (DCL) in July 1994. His previous assignments include service as Trial Attorney & Liaison, Environmental Enforcement Section, U.S. Department of Justice; Deployed Legal Advisor, Department of Defense Criminal Investigation Task Force, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Deputy Chief, Coast Guard’s Office of Environmental & Real Property Law; Deputy Director, Coast Guard Legal Assistance Program; DCL Program Manager and Assistant Appellate Defense Counsel, Office of Legal Policy and Program Development; Senior Appellate Government Counsel and Working Group Member of the DoD Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, Office of Military Justice; Trial Counsel, Naval Legal Services Office West, San Francisco; and Staff Attorney, Operational and Command Law Branch and Claims & Litigation Branch, Coast Guard Maintenance & Logistics Command Pacific Legal Division, Alameda.

Commander Aldana’s awards include three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, an Army Commendation Medal, a Coast Guard Achievement Medal, two Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, and various team and unit awards. He is a recipient of the American Bar Association (ABA) Outstanding Young Military Lawyer of the Year and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Best Lawyer Under 40 Award. In 2006, he was named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Commander Aldana is an active member of the ABA, where he currently serves as the Assembly Speaker of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, the public service arm of the ABA with nearly 160,000 members. He was also appointed by the ABA President to the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession as well as the ABA Commission on the Renaissance of Idealism in the Legal Profession. He also serves on the board of the Asian Bar Association of Washington and the Judge Advocates Association.

Commander Aldana and his wife, Rowena, have a thirteen year old son, Ehrik. They currently reside in Sammamish, Washington.