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Command Master Chief Stephen Babb

Special Warfare Boat Operator Master Chief Stephen Babb is a native of Newport, Rhode Island, and is a graduate of Lake Braddock High School in Burke, Virginia. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July 1990 and graduated from Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. He is a graduate of the Air Force Senior Non-commissioned Officer Academy and the Navy’s Command Master Chief and Chief of the Boat courses.
 
At sea, he served aboard USS Midway (CV 41) homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, deploying to the North Arabian Sea in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Fiery Vigil, followed by the ship’s decommissioning. He transferred to USS Jason (AR 8), homeported in San Diego, California, where he was assigned to 1st (Deck) Division and completed two western pacific deployments.
 
After completing Naval Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC) selection and training as a distinguished graduate of Class 17, his assignments included Special Boat Unit 26, homeported in the Republic of Panama, as a crewman of a 68-foot patrol boat, where he qualified as boat captain and completed multiple deployments to Central and South America.
 
With Special Boat Team 22, he deployed to the U.S. Southern and U.S. Pacific Command areas of responsibility before his operational focus shifted to U.S. Central Command. He completed three combat tours to Iraq in support of SEAL Team 7, the National Mission Forces, Task Force-West and Task Force-Central. During this period his operational leadership positions included boat crew leader, team leading petty officer, team leading chief petty officer (LCPO), troop LCPO and operations LCPO.
 
Returning to Coronado in April 2009, he was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command and held positions as Basic Crewman Training LCPO and Crewman Qualification Training LCPO. During this tour, he was promoted to the rank of master chief petty officer and was assigned as the Basic Training Command SWCC senior enlisted advisor.
 
In September 2012, he reported to Special Boat Team 12 as the operations LCPO before assuming duties as the command master chief from October 2014 to January 2016. Subsequently, he served as Naval Special Warfare Unit 1’s command master chief from April 2016 to 2018 in Guam.
 
Following his overseas assignment, he transferred to Naval Special Warfare Command as the deputy force master chief from 2018 to 2019.
 
Babb is now serving as the command master chief at the
Naval Special Warfare Leadership Education and Development Command and responsible for the professional military development and education for Naval Special Warfare leaders.
 
Babb’s decorations include the Bronze Star (two awards with Valor), Meritorious Service Medals (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), Presidential Unit Citation, Humanitarian Service Medal, and numerous unit and campaign awards.

Last Updated: 1 October 2021

 
 
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