Draft:Steven Wendelin

Steven Michael Wendelin (born May 26, 1966) is a retired United States Navy Commander who served a total of 39 years and 1 month. Upon his retirement in September 2023, he became a U.S. House of Representatives candidate for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.

Early life
Wendelin was born in San Mateo, California. He is the son of Lois Keith (Leavitt) and Randolph H. Wendelin, a World War II Navy veteran. His father was a tool and die maker who settled in the San Francisco Bay Area after the war. Wendelin attended San Mateo High School. He left at the end of his junior year after passing the State of California High School Proficiency Examination in April of 1983. Wendelin then interned as a theatrical technician at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. In 1984, Shortly after his 18th birthday, Wendelin enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve.

After two years of working as a delivery driver, Wendelin attended the California Maritime Academy where he graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation, a U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate’s license, and a commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy Reserve.

Enlisted Service
After enlisting, Wendelin attended boot camp at Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Illinois and then graduated 2nd in his class from Torpedoman’s Mate “A” School in Orlando, Florida. After a brief period at Naval Air Station Point Magu, Wendelin was a drilling reservist onboard the USS ROARK (FF-1053) until his commissioning in 1990.

Initial period of commissioned service
In early 1991, Wendelin reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola for training as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO), but during his basic flights he was determined to be “physically qualified, but non-aeronautically adaptable” due to extreme airsickness and the inability to perform the Valsalva maneuver to equalize pressure in his ears. In February 1992, military downsizing precipitated Wendelin’s transfer from active duty to reserve status. While in the Reserves, he volunteered to drill with Special Boat Unit Eleven out of Mare Island, California, until his eventual recall to active duty in 1996.

Private sector (1992-1996)
After being involuntary separated from active service, Wendelin then sailed for a brief period as a Third Officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine before landing a job in Silicon Valley working for WNI Oceanroutes, Inc. as a post-voyage analyst and onboard installation technician of computerized weather routing systems for merchant ships.

Commissioned service (1996-2023)
In October 1996, Wendelin was voluntarily recalled to active duty. Now a Lieutenant, Wendelin served as the Island Operations Officer at San Clemente Island. After three years, he and his family were ordered to Joint Maritime Facility St. Mawgan, United Kingdom where he served primarily as an undersea warfare watch officer. In 2002, he reported to the USS CORONADO (AGF-11) where he earned his Surface Warfare Officer qualification.

In 2003, Wendelin volunteered for duty in Baghdad, Iraq for six months as a communications officer with the Coalition Provisional Authority, his first of three boots-on-the-ground combat deployments. Following the deployment to Iraq, he served with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, followed by two years at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

In 2007, he returned to sea onboard the USS IWO JIMA (LHD-7), which was followed by an assignment to the Chief of Naval Operations staff in Washington, DC.

In 2011, now a Commander, Wendelin was selected for the Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands program to combat the insurgency in Afghanistan. Over the next four years, Wendelin would deploy two more times into a combat zone for a total of 16 months.

Upon his completion of service in Afghanistan in 2015, Wendelin then served at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the United States Naval Academy, Hopper Global Communications Center, and finally returned to the Naval Academy for his last year on active duty before reaching statutory retirement of 28 years of active, commissioned service.

Political career
In 2018, after living around the world, Steven chose West Virginia as his permanent residence. In 2023, he became a candidate for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District (WV-02).

Education

 * Bachelor of Science, California Maritime Academy (1990)
 * Master of Military Studies, Marine Corps University (2007)
 * Master of Science in Government Information Leadership, National Defense University (2014)

Personal life
Steven Wendelin is married with three adult children. His son serves in the United States Navy, one daughter lives overseas with her husband who is the Navy, and his youngest daughter is a registered nurse. His wife, Lila, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, with family roots in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Awards and decorations

 * Bronze Star Medal
 * Defense Meritorious Service Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal (2)
 * Joint Service Commendation Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3)
 * Joint Service Achievement Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3)
 * Various unit and campaign awards.