By
Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs
NORFOLK,
Va. – U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Lawrence B. McLin, Jr., a Gaffney, South Carolina native, officially retired from the Navy on January 1 following 27 years
and 9 months of combined active duty enlisted and commissioned naval service.
“I’ve
had a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world, work alongside some
great Americans and serve my country,” McLin said when asked about his time in
service. “Now I can close this chapter in my life and say thank you to all the
shipmates that I served with and supported me over the duration of my career,
and recognize and remember family members that stood by me for the past 27 years.”
McLin
was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on December 31, 2017 by Rear Adm.
John C. Scorby, Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic (CNRMA) for outstanding meritorious
service while assigned to the command in Norfolk, Virginia from July of 2015 to
December of 2017.
McLin was a 1981
graduate of Gaffney Senior High School in Gaffney, South Carolina and a
standout baseball and basketball player for the Indians. He was commissioned in
2000 through the Limited Duty Officer Program.
His career assignments
included:
Recruit Training Command Great Lakes Apr. 1990 - Jun. 1990
Shore Intermediate Activity San Diego,
California Jun.
1990 - Jun. 1992
USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Oct.
1992 - Jan. 1996
USS Tarawa (LHA 1) Jan. 1996 - Jan. 1998
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces
Europe (NCIS) Jan. 1998 - Mar. 2000
LDO/CWO “Mustang” University Mar.
2000 - May 2000
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) May 2000 - Apr. 2002
Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii May
2002 - May 2005
Commander, 2nd Fleet May 2005 - Jan. 2007
Commander, Strike Force Training
Atlantic Jan.
2007 - Aug. 2009
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Aug.
2009 - Sep. 2011
USS McInerney (FFG 8) Sep.
2009 - Feb. 2010
Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads,
Northwest Annex Sep. 2011
- Jun. 2014
United
States Fleet Forces Command Jun. 2014 - Jul. 2015
Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Jul. 2015 - Jan. 2018
McLin’s
personal awards include: Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, six awards; Joint
Services Achievement Medal; Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, five
awards; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Unit Commendation Medal, four awards;
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, four awards; U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious
Team Commendation (MTC) Ribbon, Battle “E”; Good Conduct Medal, two awards; National
Defense Service Medal with star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two awards;
Southwest Asia Service Medal with star, two awards; Kosovo Campaign Medal;
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal, two awards; Military Outstanding Volunteer
Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon, six
awards; NATO Medal; NATO (Kosovo) Medal; Kuwait Liberation Emirate of Kuwait
Medal; Expert Pistol Medal; and Expert Rifle Medal.
He also wore the Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist,
Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and Surface Warfare Officer designations.
His
father, Bruce McLin who passed away in January of 2005, was a Paintsville,
Kentucky native and U.S. Army veteran who served during WWII. He coached
basketball and baseball at Paintsville High School and retired after 30-plus
years of teaching and coaching as the all-time winningest basketball team in
South Carolina men’s high school basketball history.
His
mother, Ruth E. McLin who passed away in July of 2017, was a Silver Spring,
Maryland native. She served as a head coach of the women’s volleyball team at
Limestone University in Gaffney and retired after 30 years in education as the
vice principal at Boiling Springs High School in Boiling Springs, South
Carolina.
CNRMA is the regional coordinator
for all shore-based naval personnel and shore activities in the Mid-Atlantic
region, which encompasses 20 states, 14 installations, and 50 Naval Operational
Support Centers.
As the naval shore installation
management headquarters for the Mid-Atlantic region, CNRMA provides
coordination of base operating support functions for operating forces throughout
the region in support of the fleet, fighter and family.