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Navy

Commanding Officer

COMMANDER Stan Bates

A native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, joined the Canadian Forces in 1983 under the Regular Officer Training Plan. Upon enrolment he attended the University of British Columbia where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1987. He consolidated his initial officer training aboard HMC Ships TERRA NOVA and ANNAPOLIS before specializing in navigation.

In 1992, following a year as the Navigating Officer of HMCS COWICHAN, he navigated HMCS RESTIGOUCHE around the world. This sixth month tour to the Red Sea was under OPERATION BARRIER, a mission to ensure compliance with United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Upon his return, he spent three years as a recruiter in Vancouver, ultimately rising to command the Canadian Forces Recruiting Center. In 1996 he attended the Operations Room Officer course in Halifax and was subsequently posted to HMCS PROTECTEUR as the Operations Officer.

In 1998, he was posted to HMCS ALGONQUIN where he served as Operations Officer before being named Combat Officer and promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1999. In 2000 he was posted to the position of Combat Officer of the Canadian Pacific Fleet. The following year he was appointed Commanding Officer of HMCS HURON during a period where the ship was inactive while awaiting decommissioning. Following a short tour as the Executive Assistant to the Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, he attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto in 2002, where he received his Masters in Defence Studies.

In 2003, he returned to HMCS ALGONQUIN as Executive Officer. In 2005 he was appointed Executive Officer of Sea Training (Pacific) and promoted to his current rank of Commander. In 2006, he was posted to Maritime Pacific/Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters as the Current Operations Officer where he was responsible for the ship’s Operational Schedule and direction of the Operations Centre. In January 2009 he was appointed Commanding Officer of HMCS OTTAWA and in May 2009 Commander Bates became Commanding Officer of HMCS PROTECTEUR when HMCS OTTAWA went into an extended docking work period.

Cdr Bates resides in Esquimalt, British Columbia with his wife Helen and their two sons, Evan and Graeme.