With a host of his peers and colleagues in attendance, Cmdr. Bob Chambers, Deputy Dean of Students at the Naval Postgraduate School, was presented with a Meritorious Service Medal on the Quarterdeck of Herrmann Hall at NPS Jan. 13.
NPS President Dan Oliver read the award citation to the crowd before pinning the medal on Chambers. The medal was given to Chambers for his exemplary service during a voluntary Individual Augmentee deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
"It's great to be back amongst family and friends," Chambers said in his remarks after the ceremony.
Chambers served nine months in Afghanistan, and trained for nearly three months in Fort Riley, Kan., before his deployment, sequestering him from his wife and children for almost an entire year.
"My wife, Theresa – she's wonderful," explained Chambers. "I'm so glad to be back with her and my twin boys, Robert and John. We really are grateful for those who kept in contact, and for all of the support we've received from NPS."
During his deployment, Chambers served as the Director of Human Resources for the Afghan Regional Security Integration Command – East, handling all aspects of personnel management, including replacement operations for more than 700 personnel positioned in a score of remote locations along the Afghan–Pakistan border.
The citation for the award proclaimed that Chambers' "Direction, creativity, and analytical skill proved critical to the Command's ability to effectively mentor the Afghan National Army and Police, dramatically improving the integration of Coalition Forces and Afghan Civilian Organizations. His performance of duty in a combat zone reflects great credit upon himself, Task Force Phoenix, and the United States Navy."
"Bob is the consummate professional, tirelessly supporting those at the tip of the spear while providing outstanding leadership and mentorship to his subordinates," Lt. Col. Ellis F. Hopkins, the Chief of Staff for ARSIC-E at Forward Operating Base Lightning, wrote in a narrative of Chambers' actions during deployment.
The narrative also detailed Chambers' adaptability to the Joint and Combined service environments, and "His diligence, perseverance, and analytical skill" was more than enabling to mentoring operations for the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.