Rear Adm. Wetherald was born in Seattle. He is a graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Washington in 1984.

Wetherald's sea duty assignments include combat information center officer and anti-submarine warfare officer in USS Cushing (DD 985), combat systems officer in USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964), operations officer in USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) and executive officer in USS Shiloh (CG 67). Wetherald took command of USS Lassen (DDG 82) in 2002, deploying to the Western Pacific as the alternate air defense commander in the USS Carl Vinson Strike Group. He also served as the commanding officer in USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) where he deployed to the Arabian Gulf as the air defense commander in the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group. During both command tours, Wetherald’s ships were awarded the Battle “E” for operational excellence.

Wetherald’s first served ashore as a student at the Naval Postgraduate School where he received a Master of Science in Systems Engineering (Anti-Submarine Warfare). In Washington D.C., he then served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as the department head detailer and sea coordinator. He has also served on the Navy Staff as a requirements officer in the Theater Air Warfare Branch in the Surface Warfare Directorate (N86) and in the Program Development Division (N80) as the head, Surface Warfare Branch and as the ship construction appropriation manager. Wetherald is a 2005 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he received a Master’s degree in National Resource Strategy after which he served as the military assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Advanced Systems and Concepts). He most recently served as branch head, Programming and Development Branch, Program Development Division (N80) on the OPNAV Staff.  In May 2011, he assumed duty on the staff of Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet as deputy chief of staff for Plans, Policies, and Requirements (N5/N8).

Personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (two awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three Awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, various campaign and service medals and seven Battle “E” awards for shipboard excellence.