CDR
Van Zandt is from Fort Worth, Texas. He joined the Navy in March
1976.
From 1976 to 1985 he served in various ships and units of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets as an enlisted man. He was commissioned as Ensign from Boatswain’s Mate First Class onboard the USS Goldsborough (DDG 20) at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March of 1985.
As a Deck Officer his first assignment was duty in USS Santa Barbara (AE 28), home ported in Charleston, South Carolina. While providing ammunition and fuel support to the Second and Sixth Fleets, his duties included underway replenishment equipment maintenance, Nuclear Safety Officer and Deck Department Head. CDR Van Zandt also qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer during this tour.
In 1989, then LT Van Zandt, reported to USS Edenton (ATS 1) at Little Creek, Virginia. In Edenton, LT Van Zandt served as Deck Department Head, Diving and Salvage Officer and Senior Watch Officer. During this time, LT Van Zandt developed and executed the salvage plan to recover a grounded floating dry dock at Las Calderas Bay, Dominican Republic and directed various ocean towing, marine salvage and underwater engineering projects from Nova Scotia to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. These projects included the decommissioning tows of ex-USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and ex-USS Lexington (AVT 16). LT Van Zandt also qualified as a Salvage Operations Officer in Edenton.
In April 1992, he was assigned as Officer-in-Charge, U.S. Naval Waterfront Brig, Rota, Spain. Here, he provided corrections and custody services for all military prisoners in Southern Europe, Sixth Fleet and the Mid-East. During this assignment, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
In July 1996, LCDR Van Zandt reported to USS Coronado (AGF 11) as Deck Department Head and Senior Watch Officer. Homeported in San Diego, California, the Coronado serves as the Third Fleet Command ship unofficially known as “Death Star” due to its advanced command, control and communications features. During his tour, LCDR Van Zandt participated in Fleet Battle Experiments and exercises from Southern Mexico to Korea to Alaska, Canada, and the South Pacific. He began his next assignment as Port Services Officer, U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in August 1998. In April 1999, CDR Van Zandt was reassigned as COMNAVBASE GTMO Chief Staff Officer and Naval Station Executive Officer.