Cmdr. Ryan D. Pierce
Commanding Officer, USS Lassen (DDG 82)
06 February 2024
Commander Pierce is a native of Indianapolis, IN but, being the product of a military family, calls Virginia Beach, VA home. He was commissioned through the NROTC program at the University of Florida in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology. In 2011, he was awarded a Masters of Business Administration in Defense Financial Management from the Naval Post Graduate School.
At sea, CDR Pierce served his Department Head tours as the Operations Officer on USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) in San Diego, CA and Pearl Harbor respectively. As a Division Officer, CDR Pierce served in Pearl Harbor, HI as Fire Control Officer on USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) deploying to both U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets and as Admin and Legal Officer aboard USS Nashville (LPD 13) in Norfolk, VA where he was able to participate in the 2006 Lebanon Non-combatant Evacuation Operations.
While ashore, CDR Pierce served as Training Liaison Officer at Afloat Training Group, Middle Pacific. Following his Department Head tours, he served as Flag Aide to Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. He then worked for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management and Comptroller, Office of Budget, as an analyst for Ship Maintenance (FMB-124) and, most recently, served as an Operations Billet Specialty instructor at the N73 Maritime Warfare Directorate at Surface Warfare Schools Command in Newport, RI.
CDR Pierce’s personal awards include the Surface Warfare Officer School Admiral Arleigh Burke Leadership Award and the Commander, Carrier Strike Group THREE Junior Officer Excellence in Tactics Award. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards), three Battle “E” Excellence Awards and various campaign and service medals and ribbons.