MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS DECK DEPARTMENT LEADING PETTY OFFICER ONBOARD USS SAN ANTONIO FROM SEPTEMBER 2012 TO SEPTEMBER 2016. PETTY OFFICER JOSEPH ESTRADA CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED A VARIETY OF CRITICAL DUTIES IN AN EXEMPLARY AND HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. UPON ARRIVING TO THIS COMMAND, HE IMMEDIATELY DEMONSTRATED AN UNCOMMON LEVEL OF DEDICATION AND AN EAGERNESS TO LEARN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIM BECOMING A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON ALL LPD-17 CLASS CRANE SYSTEMS AND DECK EQUIPMENT. HIS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE HELPED USS SAN ANTONIO ACHIEVE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS SUCH AS TWO BATTLE E'S, TWO MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATIONS, ONE JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION, AND TWO HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDALS. HIS CLEAR-CUT LEADERSHIP GAVE USS SAN ANTONIO THE TOOLS TO COMPLETE HER FIRST SUCCSESFUL INSURV, DEPLOYMENT, AND BALTIC OPERATION AND PROVIDED FUTURE LPO'S WITH A SOUND FOUNDATION FROM WHICH TO EXPAND ON HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BY HIS REMARKABLE PERSEVERANCE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY, PETTY OFFICER ESTRADA REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

---

COMMANDER NORWEFFER CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED HIS DEMANDING DUTIES IN A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. HIS TECHNICAL EXPERTISE HAS ENHANCED THE FLEET, PROVIDING GUIDANCE IN THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ARMS, AMMUNITION, AND EXPLOSIVES. COMMAND NORWEFFER ASSISTED THE WEAPONS SYSTEM EXPLOSIVE SAFETY REVIEW BOARD BY PROVIDING GUIDANCE IN REGARDS TO ADVANCED PRECISION KILL WEAPONS SYSTEM, LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS, DDG 1000, AND JOINT HIGH SPEED VESSEL, ALL OF WHICH ARE NEW ACQUISITIONS BY THE NAVY. HIS COLLABORATION WITH THE SYSTEM COMMANDERS SHIPBOARD WEAPONS INTEGRATION TEAMS, FLEET FORCES COMMAND, TYPE COMMANDERS, AND RESOURCE SPONSORS ENSURED SAFETY ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED EARLY ENOUGH IN THE DESIGN PHASE TO BE CORRECTED WITHOUT IMPACTING COST, SCHEDULE OR PERFORMANCE. THIS ADDITIONAL RESOURCE PROVED INVALUABLE IN SUPPORTING THE RAPID ACQUISITION SCHEDULE OF THE NAVY'S FIRST ARMED UAV. COMMANDER NORWEFFER'S DISTINCTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND STEADFAST DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIM AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.

---

CDR Payne is a plank owner of the NAVSEA Heavylift and Drydocking Unit. He provided technical leadership and held only the most challenging positions including Projects Officer, Chief Engineer, and Execuive Officer. He ensured this new unit was effectively organized and was technically capable of executing its primary mission: the planned and emergent heavylift of US Naval assets anywhere in the world. He was key to the success of the unit's first operational assignment: the heavylift of the ARDM-10 (former Resolute) from Norfolk, VA to Todd Shipbuilding, Puget Sound, WA. He coordinated with the crew of Mighty Servant 3 to arrange the construction and placement of the blocking. This was a particularly complex build due to the fact that Resolute does not have a keel. CDR Payne was one of the first unit members to be fully qualified as a HLPO and was selected to be the HLPO of the USS Avenger (MCM-1) from Ingleside, Tx to Sasebo Japan. In his capacity as the MCM-1 HLPO, CDR Payne led and coordinated the efforts of the Military Sealift Command COTR, NAVSEA SUPSALV, the docking observer, the heavylift vessel, Ingelside and Sasebo Port Services, ship's force, and NSY Puget Sound (the MCM planning yard). He also provided under instruction HLPO training for a unit member which resulted in another fully qualified HLPO and expanded capabilities by 50 percent. CDR Payne's superior leadership and technical skills ensured that all heavylift operations (6 total) were executed safely, on schedule, and within budget constraints. He also provided other significant technical support as Docking Observer support to the Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenace Activity (formerly MARMAC now MIDLANT) and was the Docking Observer of Record for 8 onloads and 4 offloads of US Navy DDGs and CGs. CDR Payne's support of these docking observations provided technical and personnel flexibility to MARMAC operations. The distinctive accomplishments of CDR Payne culminate a distinguished career in the service of his country and reflect great credit upon himself, the engineering duty community, the United States Navy, and the Department of Defense.

---

MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS HELICOPTER SEA COMBAT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS OFFICER AND ASSISTANT OPERATIONS OFFICER WHILE ASSIGNED TO CARRIER AIR WING EIGHT FROM FEBRUARY 2012 TO JUNE 2014. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SMITH'S UNSURPASSED LEADERSHIP ABILITIES AND SUPERB MANAGERIAL SKILLS WERE VITAL TO AIR WING EIGHT OPERATIONS DURING THE FIRST COMBAT DEPLOYMENT OF THE USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH (CVN 77), RESULTING IN THE FLAWLESS EXECUTION OF OVER 9,100 SORTIES, 22,200 FLIGHT HOURS, AND DELIVERING 34,300 POUNDS OF ORDNANCE IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. HE PRECISELY SYNCHRONIZED TWO MAJOR OFF-SHIP AND SEVEN ON-SHIP THEATER SECURITY COOPERATION EXERCISES WITHIN COMMANDER, FIFTH FLEET AND COMMANDER, SIXTH FLEET AREAS OF OPERATIONS, WHICH ENHANCED REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. HE SIMULTANEOUSLY PLANNED AND SUPPORTED COMBAT SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS FOR THE STRUGGLE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMIST OPERATIONS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA WHILE FULLY SUPPORTING RESCUE COORDINATION AND TRAINING FOR BOTH OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND NEW DAWN. ADDITIONALLY, HE SKILLFULLY EXECUTED AND TRACKED AIR WING FLIGHT HOUR EXPENDITURES OF MORE THAN $100,000,000 WHICH LED TO FOUR "FACTORY TEAM" SQUADRONS RECEIVING BATTLE EFFICIENCY AWARDS. LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SMITH'S DISTINCTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE, AND STEADFAST DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIM AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.