Nathan Werve was raised in Geneva, Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University in May 2003 with a B.S. in Operations and Information Management.  He was subsequently commissioned a 2ndLt in July 2003 after completing Platoon Leaders Course at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
 
Second Lieutenant Werve reported to The Basic School (TBS) in Oct 2003 and conducted Introductory Flight School prior to being assigned to Alpha Company for Basic Officer Course 1-04.  Following graduation from TBS in Jun 2004, 2ndLt Werve was assigned to NAS Whiting Field, FL and completed primary and advanced flight training with VT-2 and HT-18 in Pensacola, FL and was designated a Naval Aviator in Dec 2005.  
 
First Lieutenant Werve was then transferred to MCAS New River where he conducted initial CH-53E flight training at HMT-302 before being transferred to HMH-461 in Jul 2006.  While at HMH-461 he was selected as part of the HMH detachment to join HMM-365 and deploy with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).  The MEU was notified in the late stage of their workups that they would leave their ships behind and conduct a land based deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan for 8 months between Mar-Oct 2008.  During this deployment, he was promoted to Captain and qualified as a CH-53E Helicopter Aircraft Commander.
 
Captain Werve then returned home to HMH-461 and was selected as part of a detachment to support a presidential support mission sailing on short notice on an LHD from North Carolina to Accra, Ghana in support of HMX-1 in Jul 2009.  Capt Werve then deployed again in September 2009 in support of Southern Partnership Station conducting counter narcotic operations in partnership with the DEA and returned home Dec 2009.  Following the devastating earthquake in Port-Au-Prince in Jan 2010, Capt Werve was selected again as part of a detachment to join the 22nd MEU and conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief on the island returning home in early Apr 2010.
 
Capt Werve then attended Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 1-11 in Yuma, AZ in and was designated a CH-53E Weapons and Tactics Instructor in Oct 2010 and was then designated an Air Mission Commander during ITX 1-11 in Nov 2010.  He deployed to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan in January in support of OEF 11.1 returning home in August 2011.
 
Capt Werve was transferred to HMH-772 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ in September 2011 as their Assistant Operations Officer and Squadron WTI.  He then transferred to MAG-49 as their Assistant Operations Officer in May 2013. Capt Werve was promoted to Major in March 2014 before his separation from Active Duty in July 2014.
 
Maj Werve directly affiliated with 4th MAW HQ as an SMCR from the active component in Aug 2014 and executed ADOS orders between Oct 2014-Jul 2017 and served in the 4th MAW G-3 as the Service Training OIC focusing primarily on supporting multiple ITX and Raven exercises as a MAW planner before performing duties as the 4th MAW Deputy Future Operations Officer.
 
In Aug 2017, Maj Werve was accepted to the Active Reserve Program and returned to HMH-772 to serve as the Operations Officer before serving as Executive Officer.  While at the squadron, he supported exercises Jaded Thunder 18.1, Raven 18-3, MCAX 18, Raven 19-2, ITX 4-19, Emerald Warrior 20-1, and was promoted to his current rank.
 
In May 2020, LtCol Werve assumed duties as the Reserve Training Center Great Lakes Site Commander and Marine Air Control Group 48 Executive Officer. He assisted with the development and execution of Gunslinger 22, a first of its kind integrated aviation training exercise championed by an air control group featuring all aspects of the Marine Air Command and Control System. This exercise including elements from throughout Marine Forces Reserve, II Marine Expeditionary Force, and multiple joint units.
 
Lieutenant Colonel Werve's personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with Combat “V”, Air Medal Strike/Flight (7th Award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2nd Award), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd Award).  His military education includes the Marine Corps Command and Staff Distance Education Program, Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School Distance Education Program, Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, Military Justice Legal Officer Course (with honors), Equal Opportunity Advisor Course, Substance Abuse Control Officer Course, and the Marine Corps Ground Safety Officer Course. He earned an MBA from Purdue University Global in Oct 2022.