Randy Watt
Watt speaking at the FBI National Academy
Born (1957-12-21) December 21, 1957
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUtah Army National Guard
Years of service1981–2015
RankColonel
Commands held19th Special Forces Group
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan Iraq War
AwardsLegion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (4)
Meritorious Service Medal[1]

Steven "Randy" Watt (born December 21, 1957) is a retired colonel in the Utah Army National Guard,[2] and a former commanding officer of the 19th Special Forces Group.[3][4]

Personal life

A native of Ogden, Utah, Watt has a bachelor's degree in police science from Weber State University, a master's degree in business administration University of Phoenix, and a master's degree in strategic studies from United States Army War College.[2][5] Watt served the Ogden police department for 32 years and retired as Assistant Police Chief in the city in October 2011. Watt was hired to head the Ogden police department from January 2017 until his retirement in January 2021.[6][2]

Watt is known as an avid mustache enthusiast. He has sported numerous mustache styles in the past. Watt's preferred mustache is the toothbrush mustache.[7]

Career

As a major, Watt arrived in Afghanistan in December 2001,[1] and led the Special Forces assault team that attacked the compound in Ayub Kheyl where Omar Khadr was captured on July 27, 2002. The team consisted of Watt, Captain Mike Silver, Sergeant Christopher Speer, Sergeant Layne Morris and Master Sergeant Scotty Hansen.[8] Watt was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his actions.[9] Watt was stationed in Afghanistan until December 2002.[1][10]

During Watt's reign as Chief of Police of Ogden he oversaw the recruitment of multiple officers to other agencies like the Salt Lake City Police Department. Watt was quoted as saying, "Salt Lake recruits heavily from Ogden City because of the excellent training and experience Ogden Officer receive." https://www.ksl.com/article/46246846/ogden-raises-police-pay-to-prevent-officers-from-leaving

In 2004, Watt was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune as stating "We're arrogant. We think everyone knows what democracy is and wants it ... but you can't change something in six months that took 6,000 years to create. If we don't help the transitional government get the warlords out of power and give democracy time to sprout, the country will revert back to anarchy."[11]

Watt was also profiled in the ABC special, Profiles from the Front Line in 2003, as well as the July/August 2004 edition of Men's Health magazine.[5][12][13][14]

In December 2005, Watt was in Brazil for a three-day National Tactical Officers Association training course for Brazilian special forces, in preparation for the 2007 Pan American Games.[15]

Watt was deployed to Iraq, training Sadr City police,[5] from July 2006 until June 2007, and helped his interpreter Falah Al-Baldawi move his family to the United States.[1][6]

In February 2008, Lieutenant Colonel Watt was interviewed after testifying at the trial of Anthony Calderone, a soldier who falsified his military awards. Watt said that nothing could "recover the lost honor for the U.S. Army" following Calderone's actions.[1][3]

Watt was awarded his fourth Bronze Star Medal while serving with Joint Forces Special Operations Component Command in Iraq; Watt had nominated himself for the award. The head of the command, Brigadier General Darsie D. Rogers, presented the award to Watt at Camp Liberty in Baghdad on April 2, 2011.[16]

SRW

In either 2006, or 2008, Watt started moonlighting, and providing private security training, using a firm he founded named SRW.[13][14]

National Command and Staff College

Watt serves as a Senior Faculty and a Commissioner of the National Command and Staff College, center of excellence for Leadership and Performance in law Enforcement and Military.


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Tan, Michelle (November 27, 2007). "Reserve major faces jail over phony medals". Armytimes.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Lockhart, Ben (December 27, 2016). "Ogden Police Department Former assistant chief named head of Ogden Police Department". KSL.com.
  3. 1 2 Bruce, Becky and Sandra Yi (February 2008). "Man sentenced for falsifying military honors". Ksl.com.
  4. ↑ Steve Fidel. "Command change Saturday for Utah National Guard's 19th Special Forces Group". Deseret News.
  5. 1 2 3 2007 Fall Conference Training
  6. 1 2 Gurrister, Tim (October 21, 2007). "Iraqi interpreter's different worlds". Standard.net.
  7. ↑ "Colonel Randy Watt |". www.deliberateleader.org. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  8. ↑ Shephard, Michelle (April 29, 2007). "Khadr goes on trial". Thestar.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ Leavitt, Mike. "Utah State of the State Address, January 21, 2003
  10. ↑ Lakshmanan, Indira and John Donnelly (September 9, 2002). "The hunt for Al Qaeda". Boston.com.
  11. ↑ House, Dawn. Salt Lake Tribune, "Some troops doubt Afghanistan effort is adequate", March 20, 2004
  12. ↑ Course Description
  13. 1 2 "Change the Outcome: Colonel Randy Watt". The Zero in show. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-22. Randy is the President of SRW Strategic and Tactical Special Operations Training and Services (SRW, Inc., www.srwsplops.com), a private corporation he started in 2006.
  14. 1 2 "SRW Inc.: Prevent, deter, detect defend". SRW Inc. Retrieved 2017-01-22. Steven R. (Randy) Watt is the owner and founder of SRW, Inc., a Leadership and Training consulting company he incorporated in 2008.
  15. ↑ M16 Viper and NOTA in Brazil
  16. ↑ Amy Joi O'Donoghue (April 8, 2011). "Utah guardsman colonel receives Bronze Star". Ksl.com.
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