CAPT Welsh was commissioned in 1991, completed Officer Indoctrination School in 1992, and commenced active duty in 1994. He is admitted to the bars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Court of Appeals for the U.S. Armed Forces, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
CAPT Welsh began his career as a legal assistance attorney and trial counsel at Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic before serving as the assistant carrier judge advocate aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) and as the staff judge advocate to Commander, Regional Support
Group Norfolk. He then served as a staff attorney and ethics counselor within the Administrative Law Division of the Office of the Judge Advocate General before serving as the Staff Judge Advocate for the USS NIMITZ Carrier Strike Group, completing an eight month combat deployment.
After graduating with distinction from the Naval War College, CAPT Welsh served as: the Deputy Force Judge Advocate, Navy Surface Forces; Executive Officer, Region Legal Service Office Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia; Legal Counsel, Navy Personnel Command; Staff Judge Advocate, Joint Task Force, Guantanamo; and as the Force Judge Advocate, Naval Air Force, Atlantic. He also completed a 6-month Individual Augmentee assignment to Multi-National Force-Iraq. His most recent assignment before reporting to N2N6 was as Military Professor of International Law at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
CAPT Welsh's personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal (2 awards), the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (4 awards), the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), and the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4 awards). CAPT Welsh has been married for over 30 years and has five children, including a LTJG Surface Warfare Officer aboard USS MCCAMPBELL and a U.S. Army 2LT in flight training.