Fernandez Ponds

Fernandez Lewis "Frank" Ponds (born 1959)[2] is a former United States Navy officer from the U.S. state of Alabama.[3][4] He is the former commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and commanded the destroyer USS Fife (DD-991) in the early 2000s. He is also a former executive officer of the destroyer USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964).

Fernandez L. Ponds
Nickname(s)"Frank"
Born1959 (age 63–64)
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1983–2015
Rank Rear admiral (lower half)[1]
Commands held
Awards
  • Defense Superior Service Medal
  • Legion of Merit (4x)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (5x)
  • Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3x)
  • Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
  • National Defense Service Medal
Spouse(s)Carol
RelationsSherese (daughter), Fernandez, Jr. (son)
Websitehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/fernandez-frank-ponds-884bb01b

Early life and education

Ponds is originally from Autaugaville, Alabama and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1982 with a B.A. degree.[5] He later earned an M.S. degree in military studies from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, an M.S. degree in information systems technology from the George Washington University and an M.S. degree in national security strategy from the National Defense University.[6]

Career
Ponds in February 2003, at the decommissioning of USS Fife.

2000s

Ponds is a former executive officer of USS Paul F. Foster.[7]

2003

Ponds was the last commanding officer of the Spruance-class destroyer USS Fife, which he commanded from 2001 to when the ship was decommissioned in February 2003.

2007-2009

In 2007, he took command of Amphibious Squadron EIGHT (embarked onboard USS Kearsarge), receiving the honorary title of Commodore.[5] This period saw him engaged as Mission Commander of anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia; Operation Sea Angel II providing relief hurricane relief efforts in Bangladesh; and Operation Continuing Promise which included additional relief efforts in hurricane ravaged Haiti.[5][8]

2015

In April 2015 his appointment as the fifteenth commandant of Joint Task Force Guantanamo was announced.[3][4]

Ponds retired from the U.S. Navy in late 2015.[9]

Awards and decorations

Ponds has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four), Meritorious Service Medal (five), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Personal life

Ponds is married and has two children.[10]

References
  1. "Flag Officer Assignments".
  2. Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1 October 1990. p. 89. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  3. "Release No: NR-120-15, Flag Officer Assignments". United States Department of Defense. 2015-04-10. Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-22. Rear Adm. (lower half) Fernandez L. Ponds will be assigned as commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, U.S. Southern Command, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ponds is currently serving as commander, Expeditionary Strike Group THREE, San Diego, California.
  4. Carol Rosenberg (2015-04-10). "Guantánamo judge orders MRI of USS Cole defendant's brain, abates trial". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2015-04-22. In other Guantánamo news, the Pentagon announced the appointment of the next prison camps commander — Rear Adm. Fernandez "Frank" Ponds.
  5. Petty, Dan. "Navy.mil Leadership Biographies". www.navy.mil.
  6. "Frank Ponds". The Stevenson Group. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  7. Bostonmaggie (6 July 2011). "Congratulations RDML (sel) Ponds!!". BlogSpot.
  8. Fernandez Ponds (2008-12-01). "Continuing Promise '08". Archived from the original on 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2015-04-22.
  9. "151119 Rear Admiral Fernandez L. Ponds Retirement". Flickr. 2015.
  10. "Admiral from Autaugaville leads voyage of 'USS America'". Montgomery Advertiser. 2014.
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