| Ryley Carlock Shareholder Honored By Navy |
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Christopher Siegle, a shareholder in the firm's Estate Planning, Employee Benefits and Business groups, was awarded the Navy Meritorious Service Medal by Commander, U.S. Third Fleet in a ceremony in which he transferred his command in Bremerton, Washington on November 8, 2009. The citation on his award reads: For outstanding meritorious service while serving as Commanding Officer, Commander, U.S. THIRD Fleet Joint Force Maritime Component Commander, Detachment Bangor from December 2007 to November 2009. Commander Siegle's unmatched leadership and peerless understanding of Maritime Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities created enhanced capabilities and readiness for THIRD Fleet to exercise command and control through its Maritime Operations Center. As the exercise lead for GOLDEN GUARDIAN 08 and VIGILANT SHIELD 09, he greatly assisted the THIRD Fleet staff in preparation for accreditation as a Maritime Operations Center. Under his superb guidance, his Reserve cadre identified key strategies to assist THIRD Fleet in support of Civil Authorities. Displaying unsurpassed insight and tenacious drive, he integrated with the active staff and focused his detachment's 21 Officers and Enlisted professionals to reach out to agencies in the Pacific Northwest Region, creating additional contacts and networks for planning and operations. Through his unswerving emphasis on operational planning and liaison activities, he improved THIRD Fleet's ability to respond to catastrophic events in the Northwest by coordinating the response efforts in preparation for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Commander Siegle's exceptional professionalism, personal initiative, and loyal devotion to duty reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. The Meritorious Service Medal is immediately superior to the Air Medal, and immediately behind the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, which he was awarded previously, in precedence. U.S. Third Fleet is the Navy's numbered Fleet Commander responsible for training and certifying deploying five Carrier Strike Groups and four Amphibious Ready Groups, conducting Maritime Homeland Defense missions, including Ballistic Missile Defense of the United States, supporting Defense Support of Civil Authorities when requested by a state and directed by U.S. Northern Command, and acting as a Joint Force Maritime Component Commander in support of operations in the Pacific. Its area of responsibility is from the west coast of the United States to the International Dateline, and from the North Pole to the South Pole. Chris is now the Commanding Officer of a Ship Support Unit in a LSD and LPD-17 Ship Class Squadron in San Diego, California. He has served in the U.S. Navy since 1990. |