Profile
Rear Admiral Steve Waddell holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Manitoba; a Master’s Degree from King’s College London, United Kingdom; a Master’s Degree from Salve Regina University; and is a 2014 graduate of the United States Naval War College, having earned a Diploma in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is also a graduate of the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Course.
His command tours include command of HMCS Charlottetown and HMCS Fredericton, and Commander Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt.
Rear Adm. Waddell’s operational sea tours include CENTCOM and NATO deployments to the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Adriatic Sea and the waters off the Horn of Africa and Korean peninsula. Missions included United Nation sanctions enforcement against Iraq and the former Yugoslavia, counter-terrorism operations in the Gulf region and piracy disruption patrols in the Indian Ocean.
He has served as Senior Navigation Instructor at the Naval Officer Training Centre, and as Operations Officer with Sea Training Group (Pacific). Following his sea commands, he served at National Defence Headquarters as the Director of Naval Strategy within the Naval Staff. Later, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) at Joint Operations Command, then served as an advisor in the Chief of the Defence Staff Initiative Group. Following his three years in command of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, he was promoted to Commodore and returned to the Naval Staff in Ottawa as Director General Naval Strategic Readiness.
Rear Adm. Waddell assumed duties as Vice-Commander, U.S. Second Fleet in August 2019.
His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, General Campaign Star – Southwest Asia, Special Service Medal – Peace, Special Service Medal – NATO, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia, Non-article 5 NATO Medal for Africa, and Canadian Forces Decoration (1st Clasp).
Sessions