Captain Bates is a career Surface Warfare Officer and Joint Qualified Officer with experience in combatant ship operations and force generation.

In the surface warfare community, Captain Bates commanded the Norfolk-based destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and served tours as Combat Systems Officer and Weapons Officer in USS Lake Erie (CG 70), Strike Officer in USS Cape St George (CG 71), and Gunnery Officer in USS Ingersoll (DD 990).

Ashore, Captain Bates gained key force generation experience as Chief Staff Officer (Readiness) for Destroyer Squadron SIX ZERO in Rota, Spain where he coordinated all manning, training, and equipping for the four destroyers of Forward Deployed Naval Forces - Europe.  In previous tours, he provided leadership support to Commander, Amphibious Group TWO and served a joint duty tour with the Missile Defense Agency as both Executive Officer to the Deputy Director of MDA and as Technical Director.

Captain Bates’ education includes Boiler Technician “A” School, Purdue University (B.S. in Nuclear Engineering), Naval Postgraduate School (M.S. in Electrical Engineering), Army Command and General Staff College (Joint Professional Military Education Phase I), and Joint Forces Staff College (JPME Phase II).

Captain Bates has received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (2 awards), and various unit and service awards.