Lieutenant Commander Stephen C. Shirley was raised in Elk City, Oklahoma. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Westminster College located in Fulton, Missouri in 1998. He was commissioned at Officer Candidate School in 1999.

LCDR Shirley’s first assignment was in USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG-48) where he served as the First Lieutenant and Force Protection Officer from April 2000 through April 2002. In his second division assignment, he served as the Training Officer in USS VINCENNES (CG-49) from August 2002 through June 2004.

From October 2007 through January 2011, LCDR Shirley served in USS PREBLE (DDG-88) where he served as the Weapons and Combat Systems Officer.

For his first shore assignment, LCDR Shirley attended the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. Additionally, he served on an Individual Augmentees (IA) assignment in the EUCOM Inspectors General Office in Stuttgart, Germany.

He reported to his current assignment aboard USS CONSTITUTION in February 2011.

His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, and various unit, campaign and service awards.