Rear Adm. Hugh Wetherald is a graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Washington in 1984.
Wetherald assumed his current duties as Deputy Director for Resources and Acquisition, J-8, Joint Staff on Oct. 6th, 2015.
Wetherald's sea duty assignments include USS Cushing (DD 985), USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964), USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) and USS Shiloh (CG 67). Wetherald took command of USS Lassen (DDG 82) in 2002, deploying to the Western Pacific as the alternate air defense commander in the USS Carl Vinson Strike Group. He also served as the commanding officer on USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) where he deployed to the Arabian Gulf as the air defense commander in the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group. During both command tours, Wetherald's ships were awarded the Battle "E" for operational excellence.
Ashore, he has served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as the department head detailer and sea coordinator, on the Navy Staff as a requirements officer in the Theater Air Warfare Branch in the Surface Warfare Directorate (N86) and in the Program Development Division (N80) as the head, Surface Warfare Branch and as the ship construction appropriation manager. He also served as the military assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Advanced Systems and Concepts), as branch head, Programming and Development Branch, Program Development Division (N80) on the OPNAV Staff and as deputy chief of staff for Plans, Policies, and Requirements (N5/N8), U.S. Pacific Fleet.
His previous assignment was Commander Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven and Task Force 76 where he was responsible for the expeditionary and amphibious operations throughout U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, ranging from humanitarian and disaster relief missions to full combat operations.
Wetherald studied at the Naval Postgraduate School where he received a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering (Anti-Submarine Warfare) and is a 2005 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he received a Master's degree in National Resource Strategy.
Personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (four awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, various campaign and service medals and seven Battle "E" awards for shipboard excellence.