Hercules native helps command USS Sterett guided-missile destroyer

By Allen Payton

U.S. Navy Commander Christopher Descovich, a native of Hercules, California, serves as executive officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104). Sterett is part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.

According to Defenceweb.com, on January 5, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group left Somalia after assisting the US military withdrawal from the Horn of Africa nation.

The 38-year-old Descovich graduated from the California Maritime Academy in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Transportation and was commissioned through the Merchant Marine Reserve Program.

At sea he completed his Division Officer tours aboard USS Milius (DDG 69) as 1st Lieutenant and Fire Control Officer, then USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) serving as Weapons Officer then Combat Systems Officer.

Ashore he served as Flag Aide to the President of the U.S. Naval War College, Branch Chief for Current Maritime Operations at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and post Department Head Detailer at Navy Personnel Command.

Commander Descovich holds a Master’s of Science degree in Systems Technology (JC4I) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. His thesis was entitled Decreasing Variance in Response Time to Singular Incidents of Piracy in the Horn of Africa Area of Operation, and co-authored with then-Lt. Ryan J. O’Connell.

His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other campaign and unit awards.

According to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, in 2015 then-Lt. Commander Descovich was an Aegis BMD Ship-based Weapons and Combat Systems Operator on the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) and was the Navy winner of the Pacific Theater Air and Missile Defender of the Year. Presented by then-U.S. Pacific Combatant Commander, Admiral Harry Harris, (now U.S. Ambassador to South Korea) the award was given to just ten recipients from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines on their value in preserving the peace within the Pacific region.

MC2 Ethan Carter, Navy Office of Community Outreach, Media Outreach Department contributed to this report.