Prior to joining the faculty of the Naval War College, Chadbourn served as a Surface Warfare Officer on destroyers in the Western Pacific with two tours to Vietnam. He continued serving in the Navy Reserve, retiring as a captain. He held three commands, including two of the largest reserve units in the United States. He was selected by Vice Adm. Stansfield Turner to open the first non-resident Fleet Seminar Program in Washington, DC, which has now expanded to more than a 1,000 students at fleet concentration sites around the country.