Commander Roger K. Thorstenson, a native of Waukon, Iowa, enlisted in the Navy in 1972. After completing two years of SONAR operations and maintenance training, he was assigned to the USS Edward McDonnell (DE-1043) where he served for nearly 5 years. In 1979, he was transferred to the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center Pacific, in San Diego, CA where he served as a SONAR maintenance instructor. During this tour he was selected for the Navy's newly established Enlisted Commissioning Program. He graduated from the University of Idaho in 1982 with a B.S. in Computer Science.

Commissioned in 1983, Commander Thorstenson's at-sea assignments started with duties as Electronics Material Officer and Main propulsion Assistant in USS Donald B. Beary (FF-1085) from September 1983 through May 1986. His first Department Head tour was as Chief Engineer in USS Gray (FF-1054) from December 1989 through September 1991 with a second tour as Damage Control Assistant in USS Ranger (CV-61) from December 1991 through June 1993. He most recently served as Executive Officer in USS Merrimack (AO-179) from August 1996 through December 1997.

Commander Thorstenson's shore tours include assignment at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA where he earned a M.S. in Computer Science in December 1988. Following graduation, he taught Computer Programming prior to attending the Surface Warfare Officer School Department Head course. From June 1993 through June 1994 he attended the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. His first joint tour, from July 1994 through May 1996, was at the Defense Information Systems Agency, Washington, DC where he managed several wide area network projects in the Pacific region. In 1998, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. He has served on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence under the Director, Program Analysis and Integration since March 1998.

Commander Thorstenson's decorations and awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (one gold star), Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two gold stars) and numerous other service and campaign medals.

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