His military service included command of the destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59), Destroyer Squadron 31; Carrier Strike Group 11–Nimitz Strike Group. During each of these commands, he deployed to the Fifth and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibility – participating in Operation Desert Strike in 1996 in Russell and as Sea Combat Commander for the Lincoln Battle Group in the Gulf immediately after the attack on USS Cole in 2000. As Nimitz Strike Group Commander in 2005, he led Task Forces 50, 152 and 58 in a combat deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and maritime intercept operations in the Arabian Gulf.