MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS FLIGHT DECK SUPERVISOR AND LANDING SIGNALMAN ENLISTED ON BOARD USS GREEN BAY (LPD-20) WHILE DEPLOYED TO THE FIFTH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM AUGUST 2012 TO APRIL 2013 IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL TASKING AND CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER SHEPHERD PERFORMED HIS DUTIES IN AN EXEMPLARY AND HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. HE LED AIR DEPARTMENT'S 22 PERSONNEL IN OVER 1,800 MISHAP FREE FLIGHT DECK EVOLUTIONS, 236 MISHAP FREE AIRCRAFT MOVES, AND 750 FUELING EVOLUTIONS. IN ADDITION, HE SUPERVISED THE SAFE COMPLETION OF 19 VERTICAL REPLENISHMENTS AND SEVEN TROOP EMBARKATION DEBARKATION EVOLUTIONS. FINALLY, HE EMBARKED NINE U.S. ARMY HELICOPTERS IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION NIGHT OWL, DURING WHICH GREEN BAY ACCOMPLISHED ITS FIRST REAL WORLD MISSION. PETTY OFFICER SHEPHERD'S EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM AND UNSWERVING DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES WHILE SERVING AS LEAD LANDING SIGNALMAN ENLISTED (LSE), ONBOARD USS SAN DIEGO (LPD 22), DURING INITIAL FLIGHT OPERATION CERTIFICATION TO INCLUDE OPERATIONS WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE 8TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUADRON CV-22 AIRCRAFT FROM 18 MAY TO 22 MAY 2016. PETTY OFFICER FITZGERALD DEMONSTRATED SUPERB LEADERSHIP AND EXCEPTIONAL TECHNICAL SKILL WHILE OVERSEEING TWO JUNIOR LSE DURING THE SHIP'S FIRST CV-22 RECOVERY CYCLE SINCE CERTIFICATION. ADDITIONALLY, ON 21 MAY, AFTER IDENTIFYING AN UNSAFE SITUATION, HE DIRECTED A CRITICAL WAVE-OFF DURING A LOW AND UNSTABLE RECOVERY ON PRIMARY SPOT TWO. HIS QUICK ACTIONS AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS PREVENTED THE AIRCRAFT FROM CONTACTING THE DECK AT A DANGEROUS ATTITUDE, AVOIDING A FLIGHT DECK MISHAP AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. PETTY OFFICER FITZGERALD'S EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM AND UNSWERVING DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS USS DEWEY (DDG-105) AVIATION FACILITIES PROGRAM COORDINATOR FROM AUGUST 2011 TO AUGUST 2012. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER WHITE DISPLAYED EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM AND DEDICATION TO DUTY DURING USS DEWEY'S (DDG-105) MAIDEN DEPLOYMENT. HE SERVED AS THE PRIMARY LANDING SIGNALMAN ENLISTED WHILE SKILLFULLY LEADING A NOVICE FLIGHT DECK TEAM IN 20 FREE DECK LANDINGS, FIVE VERTREPS, FOUR HOT PUMP REFUELINGS AND TWO NIGHT VISION AIDED LANDINGS WITH ZERO SAFETY HITS. HIS LEADERSHIP, ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, AND SCRUPULOUS WORK ETHIC WERE VITAL TO THE DAILY OPERATIONS AND OVERALL CERTIFICATION OF DEWEY'S HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FLIGHT DECK TEAM. DEWEY'S JUNIOR SAILORS PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY DUE TO THE RIGOROUS TRAINING THEY RECEIVED FROM PETTY OFFICER WHITE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE WATCH STATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, HE OVERSAW THE INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE OF OVER 200 PIECES OF VITAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT. PETTY OFFICER WHITE'S EXPERTISE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF HER DUTIES WHILE SERVING AS DECK DIVISION'S PRIMARY LANDING SIGNALMAN ENLISTED (LSE) IN USS DEWEY (DDG-105) FROM 20 JUNE 2011 TO 23 MARCH 2012. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER WANDA SHERMAN PERFORMED HER DUTIES IN AN EXEMPLARY AND HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. SHE DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO AND SUPPORTED 200 DECK LANDINGS, 34 HOT PUMPS, AND THREE VERTREPS CONSISTING OF 64 PALLETS WITH AN ACCUMULATED TOTAL OF 600 HOURS OF FLIGHT DECK TIME. ADDITIONALLY, HER EFFORTS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT QUALIFICATION OF 12 PILOTS FROM A VARIETY OF SQUADRONS THROUGHOUT THE FIFTH FLEET BATTLE GROUP. PETTY OFFICER SHERMAN'S PROFESSIONALISM, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HERSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.