Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Askia Collins | 220422-N-YQ181-1001 YOKOSUKA, Japan (April 22, 2022) - Lt. Hershel "Ed" LeMaster, an...... read more read more
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YOKOSUKA, Japan — An Athens County, Ohio native and 2004 graduate of Alexander High School has completed his tour serving as the Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) for N1 (Administration Personnel) as well as serving as Flag Secretary for Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, the Navy’s only permanently afloat Task Force, April 30.
Lt. Hershel “Ed” LeMaster is an Administrative Limited Duty Officer (LDO), also referred to as a “Mustang.” Mustangs are technical leaders who have promoted up from the enlisted ranks based on their experience and performance. They are the primary manpower source for technically specific billets supporting the war-fighting capability and readiness of Naval Forces.
LeMaster started his naval career shortly after graduating high school by enlisting as a Yeoman. He graduated his initial Yeoman school in Meridian, Mississippi with honors. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and Financial Services from Columbia College in 2008 and a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration from Grantham University in 2012. He achieved the rank of Chief Yeoman before he was commissioned as an Administrative LDO in 2015.
As the CTF 70 ACOS N1, LeMaster advised on general and manning Strike Group and Staff administrative matters and assisted three Admiral’s in accomplishing their managerial responsibilities during his two-year tour on staff.
“This tour has been the most challenging and the most rewarding of my 18 years in the U.S. Navy so far. The relationships, experiences, and memories I have made here I will never forget.”
LeMaster deployed to U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility aboard America’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) from 18 May to 16 October 2021. While underway, CTF 70 operates under the title of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5. In addition to his administrative duties, LeMaster also qualified as Tactical Action Officer (TAO) and stood over 70 combat watches during Operations Allies Refuge, Freedom Sentinel, and South China Sea transits.
LeMaster performed in an outstanding fashion while executing CTF 70 and CTF 50 administrative duties. In the midst of a global pandemic and with only weeks to prepare for change in tasking, CSG 5 deployed with a 98.7 percent immunized force of over 5,800 Sailors, unprecedented at the time for a carrier strike group. The strike group conducted a vast array of operations to include close air support for troops and civilians on the ground in Afghanistan and assisting in the development of a safe haven providing humanitarian aid and assistance for over 7,000 Afghanistan evacuees for the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in history. CSG 5 provided armed over watch and ensured Motor Vessel Mercer Street’s safe voyage following a fatal attack that killed two crew members.
The strike group operated alongside United States Maritime partners from the United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, France, India, Pakistan, and Oman to include multiple multi-carrier operations in the Arabian and Philippine Seas with CSG 21 and HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), as well as the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Ship ISE (DDH-182) and the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) carrier strike group.
CSG 5’s on time tactical prowess, operational employment, professional innovation and strategic development was essential to meeting Presidential tasking of ending our nation’s longest war. LeMaster was a direct administrative advisor to the Commander for this entire deployment.
Lt. Lemaster’s next duty station will be Naval Air Station Pensacola.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2022 06:24 |
| Story ID: | 419173 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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