Steven-Paul Lapid is a retired U.S. Naval Officer, leadership author, and military analyst with over 25 years of experience leading Sailors across surface warships, joint commands, and Naval Special Warfare units. Beginning his career as an enlisted Sailor, he steadily rose from the deckplates to commission as an officer, earning a reputation for his effective mentorship across all ranks and building cohesive, high-performing teams.

His operational tours included destroyers, cruisers, and amphibious warships, while his ashore assignments placed him in key roles at SEAL Team Three and across multiple global commands. In each assignment, he became a trusted voice in readiness, certification, and operational planning; recognized for his calm presence, tactical expertise, and practical approach to leadership.

He currently serves as the senior training and warfighting readiness policy analyst for Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVSURFPAC) where he drives policy development, readiness forecasting, and training optimization initiatives for the Navy’s surface forces.

Steve is the founder of Helm & Horizon (now DODReads), a leadership development platform dedicated to inspiring Sailors through resources that blend timeless principles, naval history, and daily reflection. The initiative offers practical guidance drawn from his own service, contributions of fellow veterans, and the Navy’s most storied figures.

He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Florida and is an alumnus of the Aspen Executive Seminar on Leadership, Values, and the Good Society. He lives with his family in La Jolla, California.