Commanding Officer

Commander Arthur Wamback, CD1

     Commander Wamback enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1983 in St. John's, Newfoundland.  He completed naval training in 1985 having served in various platforms to include minsweepers Thunder and Fundy, the frigates Saskatchewan and Terra Nova, as well at the fleet replenishment ship Provider.  Subsequently he volunteered for submarine duty and following training and consolidation was awarded "dolphins" aboard Onondaga.

     Cdr Wamback carried out a number of operational sea duties during the period of 1986 to 1992 to include Weapons Officer, Navigating Officer, and Operations Officer in the submarines Ojibwa and Onodaga.  Additionally during this period he completed various professional courses to include CF Staff School, Destroyer Navigating Officer Course and the Advanced Warfare Course.  In 1992, he was appointed Executive Officer of the submarine Okanagan. Upon completion of his Executive Officer tour in 1994, he was assigned duties as the Operations Officer and later the Warfare Officer within the First Canadian Submarine Squadron.  In 1996, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander, and appointed as Senior Staff Officer Underwater Readiness within the Headquarters of Maritime Forces Atlantic.  In 1997, he was selected to stand-up and lead the Submarine Safety Section within the Maritime Staff at National Defense Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario.

     In 1997, Cdr Wamback was selected to attend the Sumarine Command Course, informally know as "Perisher."  On successful completion, he was appointed to command of Onondaga until the summer of 2000.  During this period as Canada's only sea-going submarine, the Onondaga conducted extensive sea time in support of submarine training, National and International exercises, weapons development and certification, and various other submarine operations.  In summer 2000 he proceeded to the UK in order to complete submarine class conversion training to the Victoria Class submarine.  In 2001, Cdr Wamback was appointed to command of the submarine Windsor until the summer of 2003.  During this period the Windsor completed re-activation in the UK to include sea trials and workups; following which she sailed to Halifax, NS and joined the Canadian Fleet.  Cdr Wamback was promoted to his current rank in 2002.  Following command he was appointed Officer in Charge of the Submarine Sea Training Group.  During this appointment he spent extensive time deployed in support of submarine training and operations on both the East and West coasts.  In 2005, Cdr Wamback was selected to be staff at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, ON and served as directing Staff and Deputy Director of Curriculum.  In 2008 Cdr Wamback was assigned to the staff of the Commander Allied Submarine Command, NATO's strategic submarine headquarters located in Norfolk, Virginia as the Officer in Charge of NATO's submarine plans and policy.  Cdr Wamback is a graduate of the Command and Staff Course, Advanced Military Studies Programme and the Joint Inter-Agency Multi-National Planning Course.