Deacon Mike Waters was born in Inkster, Michigan, on July 2, 1957. He graduated from St. Augustine Seminary High School in 1975 then proceeded to Michigan State University, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980. Mike Waters attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School, graduating cum laude in 1985. Mike Waters received a direct commission into the U.S. Navy JAG Corps in December 1985.
Mike Waters’ first Navy assignment was with the Naval Legal Service Office in Subic Bay, RP. While at the NLSO he served as Trial Counsel, Command Services Department head and International Law Attorney as well as the SJA for Naval Hospital and Naval Magazine. While in the Philippines, Mike met then Chaplain George Tracy, forming a life-long relationship with the future Monseigneur, and assisting him in the founding of Cor Christi Institute, a charism in the Catholic Church dedicated to administering to the “poverty of affluence” found in Military and secular leadership. After Subic, Mike Waters was then assigned as Staff Judge Advocate to the Naval Activities Commander in London, England. In London, he directly supported CINCUSNAVEUR personnel, tenant commands throughout Scotland and Europe, and served as the Liaison Officer with Scotland Yard.
In 1993, Mike Waters served as the Command Judge Advocate onboard the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73). He brought the legal department on line after GW’s commissioning, serving as Legal Department Head over a Brig, Security, and Legal Division, as well as a Marine Detachment. The Brig Division won the CINCLANTLFT Award as the best afloat brig for 1994. Mike Waters served aboard GW during its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, supporting flight operations over Kuwait and Yugoslavia. During that cruise, MIKE Waters’ repair locker was credited with extinguishing a major shipboard fire.
In 1994, Mike Waters was assigned to the Administrative Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, located in the Pentagon. After serving in OJAG, CAPT Waters attended The George Washington University, where he earned a Masters of Law in International Environmental Law, graduating with highest honors.
From July 1998-June 2000, Mike Waters served as Legislative Counsel in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs. While responsible to Congress for all environmental issues facing the Navy, Mike Waters also guided SECNAV and the Chief of Naval Operations through the Senate Confirmation maze. From August 2000-June 2002, Mike Waters served as Executive Officer for the Trial Service Office, Southeast, located in Mayport, Florida. During his tenure, TSO Southeast tried the most Courts in the Navy and earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation. Mike Waters retired from the Navy after serving four years as Counsel to the Superintendent, United States Naval Academy.
Mike Waters served from 2006-2013 as an Assistant General Counsel, Ethics, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Headquarters in the District of Columbia. Mike performed extensive ethics training throughout the Bureau and gave ethics counsel and advice for senior leadership and for rank and file FBI Special Agents and personnel. While at the FBI, Mike was selected to enter the diaconate formation program for the Diocese of Arlington VA. After the course of the five-year diaconate formation and Academic program, Bishop Loverde of Arlington Diocese determined Mike had a call to the diaconate and ordained him to the Permanent Diaconate in January of 2015. Mike was assigned to serve as Deacon at St. Lawrence Parish in Alexandria, VA following receiving Holy Orders. After FBI, Mike was selected to serve as Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Ethics, for the Department of Homeland Security where he was responsible for the day to day operation of the DHS Ethics program with oversight of a department with 250,000 plus employees. Mike retired after three years with DHS and after 31 years total Federal service in July of 2017.
Deacon Waters is married to the former Anne Marie Murray and they live in Springfield, Virginia. They have four children: Richard (33), Michael (31), Mary Beth (26), and John (21), and six grandchildren.
Military Honors: Mike Waters is entitled to wear the following awards: The Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards), the Navy Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal (2 Awards), Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation (2 Awards), the Battle “E,” the National Defense Service Medal (2 Awards), the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (6 Awards), the NATO Medal, the Republic of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation, and Expert Pistol and Rifle Ribbons.