Albany native Capt. Wesley S. Sanders retires from U.S. Navy after 28-year career

ALBANY — Finishing off a 28-year U.S. Navy career, Capt. Wesley S. Sanders turned over command on Nov. 4 of Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic in preparation for retirement at the end of the year.

Capt. Nicole K. Nigro assumed command during the change of command ceremony.

Sanders, a 1989 Dougherty High School graduate, was commander at NIWC for three years. There, he oversaw the full spectrum of research and development, test and evaluation, engineering, development and fleet support across the complete information warfare domain for 4,900 civilian and military employees and about 9,000 industry partners spanning seven major geographical areas inside and outside the continental United States.

Prior to that assignment, Sanders served as chief of staff for commander, Fleet Readiness Center, from 2015 to 2018.

In this assignment, he provided guidance and direction for 19,000 sailors, Marines, civilians and contractors across nine fleet readiness centers deployed worldwide in maintenance, repair and overhaul of navy and Marine Corps aircraft and components.

From 2013 to 2015 Sanders served as industrial production support and compliance officer at FRC Southwest, during which he managed 2.6 million square feet of production space and equipment spread over 130 buildings to support the MRO of Navy and Marine aircraft.

Prior to that, he served as executive officer, and then commanding officer, of FRC Western Pacific at NAF Atsugi, Japan, from 2010 to 2013. In that position, Sanders led 500 military and U.S. and Japanese civilian personnel as well as U.S. and international contractors in six countries.

Among his other assignments was a tour at then SPAWAR Space Field Activity National Reconnaissance Office as deputy program manager and later program manager for a rapid development acquisition ACAT II program.

As part of his space systems master’s degree at the Naval Postgraduate School, Sanders designed the attitude and directional control system for a satellite released from a space shuttle.

Sanders was assigned as aerospace engineering duty officer community manager from 2006 to 2008, and from 2002 to 2006 served as the advanced Hawkeye program integrator at DCMA Bethpage, N.Y.

Sanders also deployed to Afghanistan as a quality assurance representative and contracting office technical representative.

The Albany native earned his commission from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1993 at Jacksonville University in Florida and was designated a naval flight officer in July 1996.

He reported to VAW-123 “Screwtops,” flying the E-2C Hawkeye, based at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va., in 2007.

Over his career, Sanders earned awards that included the Legion of Merit, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, one each Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, three Navy/MC Achievement Medals and two Meritorious Unit Commendation Medals.

Sanders is married to Laura Jill Mosley Sanders and has one daughter, Paige Ann-Marie Sanders, and is the son of Master Gunnery Sgt. Bobby Sanders (retired) and Miriam Sanders.

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