Captain Clay Waddill

CAPT Waddill is a native of Vero Beach, Florida. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Florida State University in 1997 and was later, commissioned through the Officer Candidate School Program at NAS Pensacola, FL in March 2002. He earned his Naval Flight Officer Wings from Training Air Wing Six in August 2003.

His sea duty assignments include operational tours with Sea Control Squadron (VS) 24, where he deployed to U.S. Fifth Fleet conducting combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; Patrol Squadron (VP) 45, where he deployed to U.S. Seventh and Sixth Fleets and participated in Operation Odyssey Dawn; department head in VP-47, during which the squadron deployed to U.S. Sixth and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibility. He commanded VP-46 on the squadron's first P-8A deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of responsibility where the squadron won the Battle "E", CNO Safety and Medical Blue "M" awards.

Shore assignments include duty as weapons and tactics instructor with Sea Control Wing Atlantic; instructor TACCO, Evaluator and Weapons Tactics Instructor with Maritime Patrol Fleet Replacement Squadron (VP-30); Assistant Deputy Director of Operations, Operations Team 1, (J33) for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); Individual Augmentation (IA) tour with Joint Crew Composite Squadron ONE (JCCS-1) out of Bagdad, Iraq; and Plans, Training, and Requirements Branch Head (N5/N7/N8) for Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group / Pacific (CPRG/CPRG-P). CAPT Waddill is a graduate of the Joint Advanced Warfighting School in Norfolk, VA, a division of the National Defense University, with a Masters of Arts in Strategic Planning and Operational Leadership.

As the 30th Commodore of Training Air Wing Six in Pensacola, FL, the "cradle of naval aviation," since the creation of Naval Flight Officers in 1972, CAPT Waddill oversees Task Group NFO for the Naval Aviation Enterprise. His squadrons are responsible for 100% of the Navy's NFO production as well as all Navy and Marine Corps Air Vehicle Pilot production.

His decorations include the Legion of Merrit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Bronze Star, Air Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (3), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3) and various service awards and ribbons. However, he is most proud of those awards that recognize unit operational excellence in the exemplary squadrons he was fortunate to be a member of.