FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES WHILE SERVING AS UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE (UUV) TECHNICIAN AT UUVGRU-1 DETACHMENT LITTLE CREEK (DET LC) FROM APRIL 2023 TO APRIL 2026. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER EDWARDS LED AND TRAINED 15 DET LITTLE CREEK OPERATORS AND 43 NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE UNMANNED SYSTEMS (UXS) OPERATORS IN ADVANCED UUV AND PMA OPERATIONS, RESULTING IN OVER 200 HOURS OF MISSION PLANNING AND POST MISSION ANALYSIS. AS UUV TECHNICIAN, HE SUPPORTED 34 UUV OPERATIONS ACROSS SIX STATES AND FOUR COUNTRIES, ENSURING ONE HUNDRED PERCENT VEHICLE READINESS IN SUPPORT OF FIVE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. ADDITIONALLY, AS AN EXPERIENCED MENTOR, HE DEVELOPED 15 DET LITTLE CREEK SAILORS INTO FULLY QUALIFIED AND PROFICIENT UUV OPERATORS. MOREOVER, AS COMMAND BUILDING MANAGER, HE ESTABLISHED A NEW COMMAND FACILITY FOR DET LITTLE CREEK, WITH MAINTENANCE BAY UPGRADES, AND PROCURED THE FIRST COMMAND DUTY VEHICLES, DIRECTLY ENHANCING THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND OVERALL READINESS OF UUVGRU-1 DETACHMENT LITTLE CREEK. BY HIS UNSWERVING DETERMINATION, WISE JUDGMENT, AND COMPLETE DEDICATION TO DUTY, PETTY OFFICER EDWARDS REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS LEADING PETTY OFFICER (LPO) FOR UNMANNED SYSTEMS PLATOON (UMS) 3U2 AT EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL MOBILE UNIT (EODMU) THREE FROM SEPTEMBER 2022 TO FEBRUARY 2025. DURING THIS PERIOD, ROBOTICS WARFARE SPECIALIST FIRST CLASS WALTER WHITE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINED PROFESSIONALISM AS HE MANAGED A PLATOON COMPRISED OF ELEVEN SAILORS AND ONE CONTRACTOR, LEADING THEM THROUGH TWO SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENTS AND REDEPLOYMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, HE OVERSAW THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF 48 UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE (UUV) AND EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) TRAINING OPERATIONS WITHIN REGIONAL WATERS AND GUIDED THREE UUV SUPERVISORS IN DEVELOPING AND ADOPTING APPROPRIATE TACTICS, TECHNIQUES, AND PROCEDURES (TTP) FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE MISSION AREAS, GREATLY ENHANCING COMBAT READINESS AND OPTIMIZING EXPEDITIONARY MINE COUNTERMEASURES (EXMCM) COMPANY ONE'S LETHALITY. BY HIS NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PERSEVERANCE, AND DEDICATION TO DUTY, PETTY OFFICER WHITE REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

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MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS LEADING PETTY OFFICER, UNMANNED SYSTEMS (UMS) PLATOON 3-U-2 AND UMS N7 LPO AT EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL MOBILE UNIT (EODMU) THREE FROM AUGUST 2021 TO FEBRUARY 2024. DURING THIS PERIOD, PETTY OFFICER WATSON LED A PLATOON OF 10 SAILORS AND ONE CONTRACTOR THROUGH TWO SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENTS AND REDEPLOYMENTS WITH A TOA EQUIPMENT VALUE OF MORE THAN THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS. IN ADDITION, AS PRIMARY COXSWAIN AND UUV SUPERVISOR / OPERATOR FOR 35 EXMCM OPERATIONS AND 62 MISSIONS ACROSS C3F AND C5F AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY, HE STRENGTHENED SECURITY PARTNERSHIPS IN THE REGION AND DIRECTLY SUPPORTED INFINITE DEFENDER AND IRON DEFENDER MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES ENCOMPASSING 22 NATIONS, GREATLY INCREASING INTEROPERABILITY AND PREPARATION FOR MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS. HIS EFFORTS RESULTED IN 30 NAUTICAL MILES OF POST MISSION ANALYSIS DATA IN TERRITORIAL AND INTERNATIONAL WATERS FOR CRITICAL FUTURE MISSION SETS. PETTY OFFICER WATSON'S PROFESSIONALISM, PERSEVERANCE, AND LOYAL DEDICATION TO DUTY REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT ON HIM AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.