Gary C.

Stenson
Murrieta, CA, 92562 • (619) 540-0332 • gary.christopher@sbcglobal.net

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

 21 Years of experience and integrity in over 32 countries as a U.S. Navy SEAL. Reliable, honorable, ethical
– and PROVEN.
 Extensive experience in:
 Security and Special Operations: leadership, managing, supervising, training, analyzing,
strategizing, planning, collaborating across the breadth of security operations..
 Strategic Communications/Diplomacy/Public Relations
 Program Management: collaborating, planning, analyzing and strategizing.

 Skilled Program Management/Project Manager, monitoring and controlling from inception to completion.
Skilled in planning, schedule & time management. Exceptional compartmentalization/prioritization skills.
 Active DOS Secret Clearance (April 2008) & Inactive DOD Top Secret Clearance (January 2006)

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Master’s Strategic Communications and Marketing, National University - San Diego, CA

Graduation [Maintain a 4.0 G.P.A., expected completion is October 2009]

Bachelor of Arts (MAGNA CUM LAUDE), Old Dominion University – Intl. Studies/Middle East Intense, Norfolk, VA

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCIES
Spanish
Hebrew
Arabic

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Department of State, Department of Diplomatic Security, WPPS II /BW [April 2008 – Present] Baghdad, Iraq
Providing Personal Protective Services to U.S. Ambassador, Iraq and other high ranking diplomats. Maintain
highest levels of expertise in small arms and heavy weapons, HS tactical driving, close-in personal protection,
close-quarters-combative operations and entry. Ensure 24/7 residence surveillance, and static/mobile guard force.
Conduct intelligence gathering, analysis, dissemination, and risk assessments to ensure security of ambassador,
coordinate route reconnaissances, venue advances, and movement. Interact with diplomats as necessary.

Naval Special Warfare [October 1986 – February 2008] Norfolk, VA/ San Diego, CA
 Naval Special Warfare Group ONE
 Naval Special Clearance Team ONE
 SEAL Team SEVEN
 SEAL Team EIGHT
 NROTC Hampton Roads
 Naval Special Boat Squadron TWO
  SEAL Team FOUR

Gary C. Stenson Page 2

Assistant Operations Officer/Pacific Command Operations Officer – Was primary source of continuity for
Naval Special Warfare (Navy SEALs) operations in Southeast Asia. Subject Matter Expert (SME) on all NSW
activities in Southeast Asia for company. Manned, trained, equipped and sustained Naval Special Warfare’s
West Coast SEAL Teams over 2000 Navy SEAL and logistical and administrative support personnel. Forged
strong relations with stakeholders, collaborated, conducted critical thinking and problem solving.
 Coordinated official visits both in and out of South East Asia.
 Coordinated and tracked Time Phased Force Deployments Documents.
 Tracked and ensured Inter-Deployment Training Cycles of all West Coast U.S. Navy SEAL Teams.
 Conducted numerous special projects towards acquiring future maritime mobility assets and platforms for
Navy SEAL Teams use in locating, isolating, exploiting and analyzing for actionable intelligence.
 Maintained high productivity while balancing competing priorities.

Command Training Officer - Training Officer for over 150 Navy SEALs, Marine Recon, and Explosive Ordnance
Disposal personnel. Was company’s subject matter expert in Shallow Water Mine Clearance Missions (MCM).
Coordinated countless Official VIP visits, events, and capability demonstrations for the company.
 Managed and ensured all training of 250 personnel and 12 marine mammals to ensure rock solid tactics
during clandestine MCM Operations utilizing Combat Divers, Marine Mammals, Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles, and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
 Qualified/trained personnel in small arms safety and marksmanship, communications, mission planning,
escape and evasion, Marine Mammal Handlers
 Board Chairman for Arms, Ammunitions and Explosives Safety Qualification/Certification Program:
Officer in-Charge of all arms, ammunitions and explosives safety for the command, tracking personnel
training, and manning requirements during training operations. Built the company’s Explosive Safety
Program from the ground up, and ensured strict compliance with local, state, federal, and global
regulatory laws. Maintained high priorities while balancing competing priorities.

Program Manager/Marine Mammal Platoon Officer: Officer-in-Charge over the U.S. military’s ONLY Marine
Mammal Program located at remote (decentralized) facility. Managed the program and special projects
associated with the program with high levels of architectural integration. Ensured manning, training, readiness,
and physical security of the largest & most logistically intense departments. Managed 66 highly specialized
personnel (Navy SEALs, EOD, and Marine RECON), 12 Dolphins (Marine Mammal Systems –MMS) valued at $70M
dollars, and 34 specialized small craft (boats). Oversaw a $400M dollar budget.
 Developed timelines, strategies, emerging requirements, critical thinking and problem solving. Subject
Matter Expert and PR Rep. for over 150 official and non-official visits. Coordinated countless capabilities
demonstrations, Distinguished Visitors (DVs) visits and briefings. Spokesperson to the media and
applauded for my verbal and written communications skills. Forged strong relations with media and
stakeholders. Ensured effective crisis communications. Ensured all personnel administrative
requirements and performance reviews.
 Facilities Management: Ensured all physical security requirements including 24/7 guard force and video
surveillance to ensure the safety of multi-million dollar marine mammals, as well as designed and
implemented crisis action plan. Renovated and upgraded 3 multi-million dollar buildings, a multi-million
dollar pier system, Marine Mammal floating pens, pools and pumps. Direct liaison to Naval Sea Systems
Command during research and development of sensitive programs. Oversaw the research, development,
and sea trials of next generation, special program insertion craft. Developed operator training pipeline in
use today by special operations operators.
Gary C. Stenson Page 3

Current Operations Officer –Immediately following events of September 11, 2001 – one of the first U.S. troops in
Afghanistan. Oversaw, managed, tracked over 200 U.S. SOF and Coalition SOF operations. Conducted daily
commander’s briefings, mission vetting, and support requirements. Conducted extensive coordination with
managers, department heads, and corporate level officers to ensure synchronization of operations. Ensured all
physical security requirements as well as guard force security over 24/7 Tactical Operations Center. Interacted
with media as necessary to ensure transparency, accuracy, and credibility.
 Personally conducted over 30 SOF Joint and Combined missions.
 SEAL Liaison onboard P-3 aircraft to ensure Command, Control and Communications (CCC),
reconnaissance and surveillance during over 32 additional U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) and
coalition SOF missions resulting in 100% mission success.

Platoon Officer
 Led and managed a team of 8 SEAL operators in 20 successful special operations missions in Kosovo.
Conducted 15 successful Quick Reaction Force (QRF) missions. Coordinated and ensured detailed courses
of action analysis, mission planning, briefing, marketing, coordination, and prosecution.
 Conducted high risk Personal Protective Security (Protective Services Detail) operations for Commander,
U.S. Naval Forces Europe in Albania, and to other high ranking naval leadership.
 Conducted targeting based on actionable intelligence, developed courses of action and mission planning,
ensured logistics support, developed mission briefings and marketed capabilities.
 Spearheaded, planned, coordinated, first ever comprehensive, Aircraft Carrier/ Battle Group War Game
exercise in Slovenia. Exercise participants included over fifteen U.S. and Slovenian fixed wing aircraft and
rotary wing aircraft, U.S. Navy SEALs and Slovenian Special Forces Units.

Student - Selected to transition from navy enlisted to naval officer. Less than 1 % of students navy-wide are
selected to make this transition. Returned to SEAL Teams as a Naval Special Warfare Officer having graduated
Magna Cum Laude. Political Science National Honor Society, Geography National Honor Society, History National
Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society.

SEAL Operator and Medic

 Maintained US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) presence in all Latin American and Caribbean areas
of operation, conducted demolition of 800’ communications tower following U.S. invasion of Panama and
in support of Operation Just Cause.
 Conducted countless Foreign Internal Defense (FID) missions with host nation counter-parts, to include
mission profiles in Counter Insurgency (COIN), Counter Guerilla Warfare, Riverine Interdiction Operations,
Counter-Drug Operations.
 Training Department Instructor for Jungle Warfare Operations. Trained over 150 SEAL operators in Jungle
Warfare Operations including reconnaissance and surveillance, direct action assaults, combat search and
rescue, personnel recovery, close quarters combat, marksmanship, and other special warfare operations.
 Personally located downed civilian passenger jet, marked the plane, recovered 21 multi-nationals bodies
from 100 feet of sea water. Interacted with the media to ensure transparency, accuracy and credibility.
 Developed and trained the Bolivian Navy Counter Narcotics Riverine Forces to ensure effective counter
narcotics and enforcement operations under President Reagan’s War on Drugs campaign in Central and
South America Area of Operations. Conducted extensive Reconnaissance and Surveillance Operations and
training in support of Bolivian Counter Narcotic operations. Coordinated, deconflicted, and collaborated
with US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) daily.
 AWARDS / HONORS / SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Air Medal w “Strike”
Navy Commendation Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon – 7th Award
NATO Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Expert Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy Achievement- 4th Award
Presidential Unit Citation
Navy Unit Commendation Medal
Good Conduct Medal- 3rd Award
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Services Medal
Navy Arctic Services Ribbon
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Expert Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon