Meritorious Service Medal
- Awarded on: March 10, 1995
- Invested on: May 31, 1995
Rank: Lieutenant (N)
Lieutenant Steele was the Boarding Party Officer during HMCS Algonquin's participation in embargo operations off the coast of the former Yugoslavia in 1993. He led a team tasked with boarding, searching and, if necessary, diverting merchant ships plying the Strait of Otranto, to enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions against the importation of war material into the former republic. His attention to detail, exceptional leadership and personal performance during numerous confrontations ensured the success of the mission.