Capt. Daniel P. Hopkins, commander, Tactical Air Control Group (COMTACGRU) 1, presided over the ceremony and awarded Marsh the Meritorious Service Medal for his superior performance as commanding officer of TACRON 12.
“I am conscious of what a unique experience TACRON command is,” said Marsh. “I’ll miss this community, and TACRON 12 especially, not because I was in command but because of what we accomplished together. This tour has been the highlight of my career, and being in command of a group of warriors that I hold in such high regard has been the honor of a lifetime.”
Under Marsh’s guidance, TACRON 12 provided air control detachments to amphibious assault ships USS Wasp (LHD 1) and USS America (LHA 6), conducting military operations throughout the Pacific Theater. TACRON 12 ensured unmatched tactical air control services from the sea and expeditionary locations ashore for more than 10,000 sorties conducted during 21 major joint exercises. Marsh fostered a command climate focused on professional development, culminating in 238 tactical air control center qualifications, 74 warfare designations, 35 advancements, two officer ascensions, the 2020 Pacific Fleet Retention Excellence Award, two community service program awards, and over 1,179 days with no liberty incidents.
“Our squadron motto is ‘Talons take care of Talons,’” said Marsh. “It’s a description of who we are, it’s a description of the behaviors that set us apart, and it’s a root cause of our success. The care we show one another has been and will continue to be a fundamental part of our warfighting effectiveness.”
Marsh served as executive officer of TACRON 12 from September 2018 to December 2019, when he fleeted up to commanding officer. He will serve as the operations officer aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) for his follow-on assignment.
"I am excited to share the next year and a half with you,” said Ahmanson, addressing the command for the first time as commanding officer. “I trust that each of you will show the respect deserved of each individual in this command, regardless of rank, race, or gender. We are a team that takes care of each other, and together we will work, play, fight, and win!"
Ahmanson most recently served as TACRON 12’s executive officer. He graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Business Administration and received his commission from Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. Prior to TACRON 12, Ahmanson served as the Air and Space Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Officer for the Capability and Resource Integration Directorate at the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).
Cmdr. Scott E. Welles assumed the duties of executive officer.
TACRON 12, stationed in San Diego, provides air control detachments in support of San Diego-based Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 and Okinawa-based ESG 7.