Flying With Faith: An Orthodox Jew’s Journey in the U.S. Navy

Ilan: Captain Cohn, it’s an honor to speak with you today. Your journey—from the world of neuroscience to the cockpit of naval aviation—is nothing short of extraordinary. As an Orthodox Jew navigating the unique challenges of military service, your story is one that few have experienced. I’m excited to dive into your time in the U.S. Navy and hear how you balanced faith, duty, and adventure.

Captain Cohn: It’s a pleasure to be here. Please, ask away.

Tell me a little about your background before you joined the Navy.

Originally, I was training as a neuroscientist at the University of Illinois. My main interests at the time were biology and math, so I completed a bachelor’s degree in biology. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do, so, like most people in my position, I applied to graduate school.

I started a graduate program in immunology at Brandeis University, but I quickly realized I wasn’t interested in lab work and the traditional path of a biologist. Fortunately, I had an advisor who guided me through my uncertainty. He suggested that instead of leaving, I make a list of the top five things I was interested in. My list included math, biology, computer science, and robotics—that’s only four, but he took that and told me about a new neuroscience PhD program starting the next year. He offered me the opportunity to be one of its first graduate students, which was phenomenal.

I pursued the program and focused on nonlinear dynamics—chaos theory—which was quite popular in the late ’90s. However, when it came time to do my postdoctoral research, I wasn’t sure if academia was the right fit for me.

Clearly, you didn’t end up in academia. What motivated you to serve in the military? Was it a specific event, person, or value that drove you?

Good question. I had been training my whole academic career to become a professor, and one of the purposes of a postdoc is to test yourself in an academic environment before fully committing. However, I realized I was not interested in academia. It wasn’t the long hours or the challenging problems that deterred me—I actually enjoyed those. Instead, I wanted to work on broader, more impactful issues rather than focus on a single, highly specialized theory.

I strongly support academia and believe in the power of scientific research, but I felt there were other ways I could contribute to our country in a more immediate way. While searching for different career opportunities, I came across a Navy program that offered to send candidates to flight school and integrate them into the Navy aviation enterprise—provided they had a PhD in neuroscience or psychology. That caught my attention, and the rest is history.

Tell me a little bit about flight school. What was your initial experience like when you joined?

Before flight school, I had to attend Officer School. The type of Officer School I went to was designed for professionals with degrees or expertise that the Navy specifically needed—such as doctors, lawyers, physical therapists, and scientists. Our training was slightly different from that of “line officers,” who serve in combat roles.

Because of my professional background, I entered with a mid-level officer rank and attended Officer Indoctrination School, which is a six-week program. It teaches the fundamentals of being a naval officer—military history, how to wear the uniform, and a phenomenal amount of physical training.

Flight school itself was in Pensacola, Florida, the “cradle of naval aviation.” Both Officer School and flight school were incredibly exciting and unlike anything I had ever experienced. I was the only person out of 400 officers wearing a kippah. Fortunately, I met the school chaplain, Chaplain Carney, who approached me on my second day and asked how she could help make my experience more accommodating for my religious needs. She helped me navigate challenges, including observing Shabbat.

For example, Officer School was in Newport, Rhode Island—home to the oldest synagogue in America. I asked if I could get a pass to walk there on Shabbat and spend the entire day at the synagogue. She made it happen, which was amazing. Similarly, in flight school, training was often 24/7, including evenings and weekends. However, I was able to request a “snivel” to avoid flying on Shabbat, and my superiors were very accommodating.

How did you keep kosher while in training? I assume the meals they provided weren’t kosher.

In Officer School, we ate meals together with our classmates, so my diet was limited to yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and various cereals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The moment I was allowed to leave base, I went shopping for kosher food.

In flight school, I had more flexibility since I lived in my own apartment. My wife, Debbie, and I got an apartment on the beach in Pensacola, on a cliff overlooking the bay. Occasionally, we would drive to New Orleans to pick up kosher food.

Were there other Jewish service members in your flight school class?

Yes, there were other Jewish students in both Officer and flight school, and we definitely connected. However, I was the only Orthodox Jew. Most of the other Jewish service members were from Reform or Conservative backgrounds.

Now that you’ve honorably retired, what do you consider your greatest accomplishment in the Navy?

That’s a tough one. I would say my most rewarding accomplishment was during the last three years of my military career when I served as the specialty leader, or head, of my community.

My specific naval community was aerospace experimental psychologists, which is part of a larger group called aeromedical officers. Our community consisted of about 30 members. Along with my assistant, I helped navigate significant personnel challenges, ensuring we retained the critical people needed to keep our community viable. I was proud to retire knowing I left behind a strong, capable team to continue supporting naval aviation.

Looking back on your service, what lessons or thoughts stand out to you?

Over time, I realized that the best way to guide my career, personal growth, and leadership development was by learning from the wisdom of my mentors. There were three key principles I carried with me throughout my career:

1. Own your mistakes.
2. Never lie, cheat, or steal.
3. Excellence, not arrogance.

These values shaped the way I served and led others.

What advice would you give to Orthodox Jews considering a career in the U.S. military?

The most important thing is to approach military service with a solutions-oriented mindset. I never went in saying, “I’m a religious Jew, and you have to accommodate me.” Instead, I would analyze the challenges ahead—whether it was standing watch on Shabbat or flight training conflicts—and find a way to balance my religious observance with my military duties.

I always found a way to make it work, and my superiors respected that approach.

Final question—would you recommend the Navy to other Orthodox Jews?

It depends on the role. There’s a big difference between serving as a line officer in combat and serving as a staff officer in a specialized field. Staff officer roles—like mine—offer more flexibility to navigate religious observance.

Before committing to military service, you have to be honest with yourself. Are you willing to go the extra mile to balance faith and duty? If you’re up for the challenge, the Navy offers an incredibly rewarding and diverse career path.