MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE SERVING AS DEPUTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, 24TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT, FROM JULY 2013 TO DECEMBER 2015. CAPTAIN LARSON SERVED AS THE FIRST PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE - CRISIS RESPONSE - AFRICA AND ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE COMMAND AND HIGHER HEADQUARTERS. HE ENSURED COVERAGE OF CRISIS RESPONSE EVENTS RECEIVED CENTER STAGE CONSIDERATION FROM THE MARINE CORPS AS WELL AS AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF DECISION-MAKERS INCLUDING THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. DURING THE 2015 DEPLOYMENT, CAPTAIN LARSON SERVED AS THE LEAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA OF OPERATIONS WHICH INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS GUIDANCE AND THE EXECUTION OF THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS MISSION. HIS EFFORTS RESULTED IN POSITIVE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE 24TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT U.S. NAVY FLEETS AND ACROSS FOUR CONTINENTS. CAPTAIN LARSON'S NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERSEVERANCE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIM AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.