Bon Homme Richard (LHD 6) - Naval Cruise Book

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Rear Adm. Ames' deco- rations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak- leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with gold star, Meri- torious Service Medal with gold star, Joint Service Commendation medal with oak leaf cluster, Navy Commenda- tion Medal with two gold stars, and other unit and campaign awards. wise sux S P+- Q 'xjfai get LU--L.,

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, '1'1fvJT2:ii'H'5Xk ' 1' g- s - :f 1 11 - .2255 :XiiLe? tfLv ' 'f:s n:e4,?tP:.:-:fag-:ire-aafzadff M- FSI . - A -,--. - , - farm- fl, ,ff ' ' , ' , , , ' 1.41 1-I 'Tir I .- ' A: I , ' I1 a gvrI5 ' ' j' l'7'l'llllf'f3Ll gir l! I A I f lf Qlv 77 lM?'7Jf'41 '?lFf9l5I s4 ii Y niiif ll U l:i Fl' 515115 4 l'Q'.'n'lLl',Z-lflil ma . .C fl I I K : 1 1- I -' I f fii5Qj' ,u,g - Ii- ,stair lv ig .-'ga .-limi 2 X1 ' ' 'f ' A 0 Rear Admiral Ames is a native of Stamford, Connecticut. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in I976 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Designated a naval aviator in luhf I977, he joined Patrol Squadron FORW EIGHT lVP 483 at NAS Moffett Field, California. Fhfing the P-3C Orion, he conducted operations with VP-48 throughout the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. In I98I Rear Adm. Ames served with The loint Staff HSI and subsequenthf acted as Aide!Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations fPlans, Policy and Operationsl in Washington, D.C. This was followed by a tour as Flag Lieutenant to Commander Third Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Rear Adm. Ames was Assistant Navigator on USS AMERICA tCV 66l from I983 until I986 with operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Oceans. After a tour with Patrol Squadron THIRTY QVP-30l as Instructor Pilot and Maintenance Officer, he joined Patrol Squadron TWENTY FOUR KVP 24l as Operations Officer in I987, conducting deployed operations from bases in Iceland and Bermuda. Rear Adm. Ames next reported to the Bureau of Naval Assistant Washington Placement Officer, responsible for the placement of naval officers in the Executive branch, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Naxy Staff. In I990, Rear Adm. Ames commenced advanced studies at Harvard University, earning a master's degree in Public Administration from Haward's Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge. Massachusetts. He then commanded Patrol Squadron SIXTEEN IIVP I6l through I994, operating from Spain, Iceland, Panama and Puerto Rico, after first serving as the squadron's Executive Officer. Following surface command training in I99S, Rear Adm. Ames acted as Operations Officer to Commander, Combined Naval Forces. OPERATION UNITED SHIELD aboard USS BELLEAU WOOD QLHA 3l during the withdrawal of United Nations forces from Mogadishu, Somalia. Rear Adm. Ames assumed command of USS TARAWA QLHA Il in I996, following ayear as the ship's Executive Officer. During his command, TARAWA deployed to the Persian Gulf, participated in OPERATION DESERT STRIKE, and earned the Pacific Fleet's Golden Anchor Award for retention excellence, while receiving other national and Secretary of the Naxgf awards. In I998, Rear Adm. Ames joined the U.S. Pacific Command where he served as Operations Officer and then as Depugf fOr Operations. Rear Adm. Ames assumed command of Amphibious Squadron THREE and the BONHOMME RICHARD Amphibious Ready Group in 2000. He led the Amphibious Ready Group to a Persian Gulf deployment in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Selected to Flag rank, he reported to the U.S. Transportation Command in April 2002 where he served as the Director of Strategy, Plans, Policy and Programs ll-Sl during OPERATIONS ENDURING!IRAOj FREEDOM. In this capacity he supported the commands global responsibility to provide strategic mobility to all U.S. militagf forces. Rear Admiral Ames reported to his current dugf assignment as Commander, Amphibious Group Fl Q :RFE Expeditionary Strike Group FIVE in lune 2004. ,...,,,f,,,.,.,,.w.,.sf .. ,..,.,, ..... ,- ,:,x.,.,, , .,,, ., Personnel in Washington, D.C., where he sewedsag

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. N A if . i j , ,,j,-,,-,Am 4. IF , s.1 rgw'lri--'l,L+,g':1 ., . ii' .2 , 7 if .V 'Nb-14 'f ilf7'l 1:4 ' 't f'l' 'Lili-- Lu ' Y . r A' ' I .. ' - f f j A native of Dallas, Texas, Col Kennedy attended Southern Methodist Universigf until l980, when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Pvt Kennedy completed Basic Training in May of I98l as the Honorman of Platoon 3020 and was meritorioushf promoted to the rank of Private First Class. He was then assigned to the logistics Department of the 3d Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD San Diego until December of l98l when he was accepted into the Enlisted Commissioning Program. ln April of l982, Candidate Kennedy completed the Il9th Officer Candidates Class as the Honor Graduate and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. After completion of the Basic School as the Leadership Award winner, he reported to Pensacola, Florida for training as a Naval Flight Officer. He earned his NFO wings in September of i983 and attended a six-week photo-reconnaissance school at Bergstrom Air Force Base before reporting to VMFAT-lOl at MCAS Yuma, Arizona. IstLt Kennedy reported to VMFP-3 at MCAS El Toro, California in August of l984. During his two years at VMFP-3, lstLt Kennedy served as the NATOPS Officer, Aviational Safety Officer, and Schedules Officer. He accompanied VMFP-3 Det C to WestPac in November of i985 as the Director of S3fCQf and Standardization and as the Assistant Operations Officer. In November of l986, Captain Kennedy was selected for the Pilot Conversion Training Program and received orders back to Pensacola, Florida. He completed his Advanced let Training at Beeville, Texas, and was designated a Naval Aviator in September of l988. Capt Kennedy was then assigned to VMFAT-lOl in El Toro. California for training in the FIA-I8 Hornet. Having completed training at VMFAT-lOl, Capt Kennedy was then assigned to the Grey Ghosts of VMFA-53l where he assumed the duties of Airframes Officer. ln October of l988, he deployed to WestPac with the Grey Ghosts where he also inherited the additional duties of Powerline Officer. Returning to CONUS in April I990, Capt Kennedy was designated an Air Combat Tactics instructor IACTIJ, and in Iune was assigned as the Pilot Training Officer. He attended the Naval Fighter Weapons School in October of l990. In February of I99l, Capt Kennedy once again deployed to WestPac with the Grey Ghosts. Returning home from WestPac in August of l99l, Capt Kennedy was transferred to VMFAT-lOl as an F!A-I8 Instructor Pilot. During his two years with the Sharpshooters, Capt Kennedy served as the Powerline Officer, the Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and as the Air-to-Air Phase Head. He also completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management during his off-dug' weekend hours. In December of I993, Capt Kennedy completed the Tactical Air Control Pargf Course at LFTCPac and was assigned to the Fifth Marine Regiment, First Marine Division as the Regimental Air Officer. In january of I994, he was promoted to Major. Following a one year tour with the Fifth Marines, where he also served as the Regimental Operations Officer and Regimental Executive Officer. Major Kennedy was reassigned to VMFACAWJ-242, where he served as the Director of Safegf and Standardization, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and Operations Officer. His last assignment in Marine Aircraft Group li was as the Assistant Operations Officer tAdvanced Tactics Training lnstructorl. Upon joining l MEF, he served as the Aide-de-Camp for two commanding generals: LtGen CW. Fulford from September 10 '- . A ..1':-QQ.-Aiif2.i2tf?Vl:. if- - .- . if