CMDCS LaFrederick O. Herring
Command Master Chief, USS San Jacinto (CG 56)
19 August 2021
Command Master Chief Herring is a native of North Carolina, enlisting in the United States Navy in July 1996. He completed basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. Following completion of recruit training, he completed Basic Enlisted Submarine School and ET-CORE in Groton, Connecticut.
His initial sea tour was aboard USS L. Mendel Rivers (SSN 686) as a Radioman, he deployed twice to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, conducted an ICEX, and her decommissioning. Once completed, he served aboard USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709). For his second sea tour, he was selected to report to USS Newport News (SSN 750) as Communications Division Leading Petty Officer, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea and U.S. Central Command with the Eisenhower Strike Group while conducting operations in support of the Global War on Terror and earning the Navy Battle “E.” His third sea tour was aboard USS Boise (SSN 764) as Communications Division Leading Chief Petty Officer, completing a Northern deployment, CNO restricted availability, and earning a Battle “E.” Reporting aboard USS Norfolk (SSN 714) for his fourth sea tour, he served as Navigation and Operations Department Leading Chief Petty Officer, deploying to U.S. Central Command and earning a Battle “E.” For his fifth sea tour, he served as Chief of the Boat for USS Indiana (SSN 789), leading the crew through new construction shipbuilding, multiple crew certifications, and sea trials.
Ashore, he served at Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic as a Communications Watch Officer. While attached to Submarine Learning Facility Norfolk, he was a Communications Instructor, Tactics Department Chief, and Command Senior Enlisted Leader, and was responsible for conducting pre-deployment training events and certifications. He also served as Command Master Chief of Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News, providing shipbuilding oversight for construction of Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, Virginia and Columbia Class submarines, and maintenance of Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers.
Command Master Chief Herring is authorized to wear the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), Good Conduct Medal (six awards), and various other unit and campaign awards. He is a graduate of both the Command Master Chief and Chief of the Boat course, and Senior Enlisted Academy.