Richard Ray Arnold

MEDALS-RIBBONS: Command at Sea, Surface Warfare Officer, Command Ashore, Legion of Merit (3), Defense Meritorious Service, Meritorious Service (6), Navy Commendation, Navy Achievement and numerous campaign and service awards.

A highly decorated Surface Warfare Officer who had a 30 year career of dedicated service to his country, including three commanding officer tours of duty, USS MERRILL (DD976), DESTROYER SQUADRON SEVEN and TACTICAL TRAINING GROUP PACIFIC.

1975 graduate of US Naval Academy. Highly decorated Surface Warfare Officer, who had three command tours 2 at sea and I ashore: Commanding Officer of USS Merrill (DD-976), Commodore of Destroyer Squadron Seven, and Tactical Training Group Pacific. As a division officer onboard USS Fanning (FF-1076) deployed to Western Pacific and Indian Oceans monitoring Russian forces activity during the Cold War. As a department head onboard USS Merrill (DD-976) he tested and developed Tomahawk Cruise Missile System shipboard tactics and procedures for three variants of the missile. As executive officer of USS Leftwich (DD-984), took part in the naval gunfire attack that destroyed two Iranian sea bases in response to Iranian missile attacks against Persian Gulf shipping during the Iran-Iraq Tanker War. As CO of USS Merrill (DD-976) conducted Maritime Intercept Operations in the Persian Gulf to stop the flow of contraband into Iraq, post Operation Desert Storm. As Commodore of Destroyer Squadron 7, led an international coalition tasked with enforcing United Nations Security Council Resolutions against Iraq. As skipper of Tactical Training Group Pacific, he prepared deploying Navy and Marine Corps forces for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.