CDR Staten began his military career by enlisting into the U.S. Navy after graduating from Magruder High School in 1979.  After boot camp, CDR Staten attended the Naval School of Health Sciences Hospital Corpsman school in San Diego.  His first assignment was as a general duty Hospital Corpsman at Bethesda Naval Hospital.  CDR Staten worked on the post-op open heart surgical ward.  He later took advanced training as a Operating Room Technician.  After graduating CDR Staten was assigned to the Fleet Marine Force.  CDR Staten spent the remainder of his enlistment serving as a Combat Corpsman with the 3rd and 2nd Marine Corps Divisions.  CDR Staten received his Bachelors of Science from the University of Maryland in 1985.  He later received a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1998.  After graduation, CDR Staten was commissioned as a LTJG in the United States Public Health Service.  He is currently assigned to the Food and Drug Administration as a Regulatory Health Officer for new vaccine development.