Steve Ward

LDAP Director

Steve Ward is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, combat leader and currently a leadership instructor at Echelon Front. Steve spent almost 30 years in the SEAL Teams with eleven deployments across the globe. Steve brings unmatched experience in demonstrating combat leadership in dynamic environments, building winning teams, and developing relationships across all levels of an organization. Steve operated in violent urban environments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, seeing first-hand the power of applying the leadership lessons taught at Echelon Front.
Steve was one of the head leaders of his Task Unit when they relieved Task Unit Bruiser in Ramadi in October 2006. When he returned from that deployment he went to work for Jocko as a head leader running Land Warfare Training for all four West Coast SEAL Teams. In this role, he managed high risk evolutions and consistently innovated training techniques to increase effectiveness to SEAL units preparing for combat deployments overseas.

Steve brings a unique front-line perspective coupled with executive leadership experience, starting his military career as a front-line SEAL operator, and working his way up through numerous leadership positions within the SEAL Community to include tactical leadership positions all the way up to becoming one of the head leaders running a SEAL Team and culminating into becoming one of the head leaders of all four West Coast SEAL Teams. Steve understands how to bring a team together, work through challenges and setting high standards. He is the recipient of three Bronze Stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals and four Meritorious Service Medals and numerous other awards. He serves as a leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor at Echelon Front.