Commander Stephen M. Valerio 
 

CDR Valerio is a native of New York and raised in Venezuela. He enlisted in the US NAVY as an Air Traffic Controller in 1994 and served on board USS CARL VINSON (1995-1998), and NAS FALLON (1998-2000) before being selected for ADM Boorda’s Seaman to Admiral commissioning program.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida and his commission through Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL. 
 

From 2003-2006 he completed Division Officer tours on board USS TAYLOR as Fire Control Officer, Ship’s Maintenance and Materiel Officer and Navigator completing multiple deployments to the 6th Fleet and 5th Fleet AORs respectively.
 

From 2006-2009 he earned a Masters in Science degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. After graduation, he completed a 1 year deployed to Iraq as a FP Assessment Officer for CENTCOM’s Joint Security Office.
 

From 2011-2014 he completed an Operations Officer Department Head tour on board USS PORTER (2011-2012) and a second DH tour on USS OSCAR AUSTIN (2012-2014) as Combat Systems Officer.
 

Following his department head tours, CDR Valerio completed a 3 year joint tour to Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces, Maritime Battle Staff in Portsmouth, England as a Joint Maritime NATO Planner including a deployment to the 5th Fleet AOR as the N3 to Commander Task Force 150 under UK command.  After his tour to COMUKMARFOR, CDR Valerio was assigned to Commander Carrier Strike Group Eight as Future Operations Officer during which he planned and completed the first Carrier Strike Group Dynamic Force Employment deployment to the 6th Fleet AOR on board USS HARRY S TRUMAN. 
 

His personal commendations include: Joint Commendation Medal, Joint Achievement Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (4), Navy Achievement Medal (4) and numerous others.