Captain Paul L. Stence, Jr., assumed command of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division on January 31, 2025, and today leads more than 1,600 civilians, 1293 contractors, and 23 military, and an overall business base of more than $600 million. The Division’s support areas encompass all U.S. Navy missions that occur in the littorals, including mine warfare, diving and life support, naval special warfare, and expeditionary maneuver systems.
Originally from Halifax, PA, CAPT Stence was commissioned in the U.S. Navy through Officer Candidate School after graduating from Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering.
After nuclear power and basic submarine training, he completed a 32-month tour onboard the USS Norfolk (SSN 714), followed by two years at Naval Network Warfare Command. While at NETWARCOM, CAPT Stence also served in Iraq as the Electronic Warfare Officer for 4-23 Infantry and 296 BSB Army Battalions. During his time in Iraq, he was selected for the Engineering Duty Officer community.
He attended Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, earning his Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in September 2009. Following graduate school, CAPT Stence completed the Navy’s Marine Engineer Diving Officer course at Naval Diving and Salvage Training Command.
CAPT Stence served as Assistant Project Officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News overseeing: all Virginia Class modules shipped to Electric Boat, AIT coordinator for USS Enterprise (CVN 65), and led USS Albany (SSN 753) Docking Continuous Maintenance Availability. In August 2012, CAPT Stence reported to CTF 53, Navy Central Command, as the 5th Fleet Diving and Salvage Officer and as the Assistant Officer in Charge at Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center, Bahrain.
Following his overseas assignment, he transferred to Naval Sea Systems Command, In-Service Submarine Program Office (PMS 392), where he served as Deputy for the Plans, Policy, and Programs Department. In July 2017, CAPT Stence transferred to Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton (SSGR), as the Commissioned Submarine Project Officer. At SSGR he closed out the USS Montpelier (SSN 765) Interim Drydocking Availability, completed the USS John Warner (SSN 785) and USS Indiana (SSN 789) emergent availabilities, and started the planning process for the USS Hartford (SSN 768) Engineered Overhaul.
Following his tour at SSGR, he transferred to OPNAV N80 as a Maritime Analyst in July 2020. While at OPNAV, CAPT Stence integrated and programmed all Navy Maritime Operations and Maintenance funding for POM22 through POM25. After his tour at OPNAV, he reported to PMS396 as the In-Service SSBN Modernization Principle Assistant Program Manager, where he was responsible for planning, development, and installation of all SSBN modernization.