Petty Officer First Class Aaron Lee

---

OPERATION SPECIALIST FIRST CLASS SURFACE WARFARE/ AIR WARFARE

Operations Specialist First Class Aaron Lee enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June of 1996. Upon completion of Recruit Training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois he reported to OS “A” School. He completed OS “A” School in December of 1996.

OSSN Lee reported to the USS Bataan (LHD-5) in January of 1997. In 1998 he was advance to Third Class Petty Officer and the following year in 1999 he was advanced to Second Class Petty Officer. Petty Officer served onboard the USS Bataan until October
of 2001.

He reported to Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, IL in January of 2002, where he was a Recruit Division Commander. While serving at RTC Petty Officer Lee was advanced to Petty Officer First Class in 2003. He served as Recruit Division Commander until May of 2006.

Petty Officer Lee then reported for a short tour to Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy in June 2006. He then reported to COMCMRON 1 in February 2007. There he served as a GCCS-M MEDAL operator and worked side by side with Japanese, Korean and, Australian sailors in the 7th fleet.

In 2010 Petty Officer Lee reported to Port OPS, Naval Weapons Station Earle. There he served as the Departmental Leading Petty Officer (LPO) and was responsible for the safe docking and undocking of over 120 ships movements. After his tour in Earle he reported to USS Wasp (LHD-1) in September of 2013 where he served as the LPO until July 2016 in Norfolk, VA. He retired from Naval service in July of 2016.

After retirement from the U.S. Navy he became an NJROTC instructor and taught at Vanguard High School in Ocala, FL from 2017 until 2022.

His personal awards include Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (3 awards) , the Navy Battle “E” ribbon(2 awards), Navy Good Conduct Medal ( 5 awards), National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment ribbon, and the Navy Recruit Training Service ribbon.

Commander Clark was born in Nashville, Tennessee and graduated from Fred J. Page High School in Franklin, TN in 1991.  

Upon graduating, he enlisted in the Navy’s nuclear power program as a Machinist Mate and completed Recruit Training in Orlando, Florida in April 1992.  While completing Nuclear Power School, he received and accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1997 earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering. 

Commissioned in 1997, he went on to earn his “Wings of Gold '' at VT-31 in September 1999.  He was hand selected to remain at VT-31 as a SERGRAD (Selectively Retained Graduate) where he qualified and served as an Instructor Pilot in the T-44 Advanced Maritime Training aircraft.  Following 18 months of instructor duty, Lieutenant Junior Grade Clark reported to the Fleet Replacement Squadron, VP-30, as a Replacement Pilot, with follow-on orders to the “War Eagles” of Patrol Squadron SIXTEEN.  While attached to VP-16, his duties included Command Career Division Officer, Legal Officer, Schedules Officer, Flight Officer, and Quality Assurance Officer.  He completed two deployments to the Sixth Fleet AOR and one to the Fourth Fleet AOR. 

After completing his first fleet tour, LT Clark ventured out of community for his disassociated sea tour and served as a Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer (aka Shooter) on the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower from March 2005 until December 2006.  While attached to the IKE, he served as the Arresting Gear and VLA Branch Officer and V-2 Division Officer, where he was responsible for 275 personnel and for all the machinery and equipment for launching and recovering aircraft.  He completed numerous underway evaluation periods in preparing the mighty IKE for her return to the fleet after undergoing an extensive four year yard period.  

Upon completion of his disassociated sea tour, LT Clark was afforded the opportunity to attend the Naval War College and was awarded a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.  
LCDR Clark then rejoined the “War Eagles” of Patrol Squadron SIXTEEN for his Department Head tour.  He served in VP-16 from June 2008 until July 2010 and served as the Safety/NATOPS Officer, Administration Officer and Maintenance Officer for the command.  While attached, he completed a Seventh Fleet deployment to Okinawa, Japan. 

From July 2010 to September 2013, LCDR Clark was assigned as the Assistant Officer in Charge of the MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Fleet Introduction Team (FIT).  Providing guidance and training in support of the orderly and economic introduction of the MQ-4C Triton BAMS UAS to the fleet, the FIT is the single point of contact for Fleet input and guidance to program offices and manages all fleet introduction issues including operations, NATOPS model management, Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) curriculum model management, supportability, supply, training/readiness qualifications, and training device inspection and acceptance. 

CDR Clark reported as the first Officer in Charge of the Navy’s first unmanned patrol squadron, Unmanned Patrol Squadron NINETEEN (VUP-19) on Oct 1st, 2013 and turned over to the squadron’s first Commanding Officer on Oct. 28, 2016.  He retired from active duty in May 2017.
CDR Clark has accumulated over 2000 flight hours and has attained every qualification for a P-3 aviator.  His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3), Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Battle “E”(2), and various campaign and unit awards.
Married to the former Sheila West of Franklin, Tennessee, Commander Clark and his wife have two daughters, Abree and Makenna.