Melbourne sailor assumes command of helicopter strike squadron

Cmdr. Aric H. Edmondson, assumed command of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Three Five (HSM 35) in San Diego. Cmdr. Edmondson had been Executive Officer for the last 15 months, and began his duties as Commanding Officer on May 23, 2018.

Cmdr. Edmondson is a native of Melbourne, Florida, and a 1997 graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. In January of 2000, he graduated from Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. Additionally, in 2007 Commander Edmondson attended the University of San Diego and earned a Master of Science degree in Business Administration, and in 2016, completed one year of in-residence studies at the Naval War College where he was awarded a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.


Since joining the Navy, Cmdr. Edmondson has served at sea with the “Battlecats” of HELICOPTER ANTI-SUBMARINE SQUADRON LIGHT FOUR THREE (HSL 43) in North Island, CA where he deployed onboard the USS MCLUSKY (FFG 41) in support of Counter Narco-Terrorism Operations and the USS THACH (FFG-43) supporting Operations UNIFIED ASSISTANCE and IRAQI FREEDOM. CDR Edmondson reported to HELICOPTER ANTI-SUBMARINE SQUADRON LIGHT FOUR ONE (HSL 41) as an instructor pilot. He became one of the first MH-60R instructor pilots and plank owner for the squadron’s transition to HELICOPTER MARITIME STRIKE SQUADRON FOUR ONE (HSM 41). Following instructor duty, Commander Edmondson completed the Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor (SWTI) course in Fallon, Nevada, and was assigned to HELICOPTER ANTI-SUBMARINE SQUADRON LIGHT FOUR SEVEN (HSL 47), the “Saberhawks”, as the Training Officer and squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor. Commander Edmondson assisted the Saberhawks in the squadron’s transition to the MH-60R and re-designation to HELICTOPER MARITIME STRIKE SQUADRON SEVEN SEVEN (HSM 77). While assigned as the Training Officer, he completed a deployment onboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.


Cmdr. Edmondson remained at HSM 77 for a sequential tour as a Department Head where he completed another deployment in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as a detachment Officer-in-Charge onboard four different vessels; USS MOMSEN (DDG 92), USS NEW ORLEANS (LPD 18), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and the British command and control ship RFA FORT VICTORIA (A387). CDR Edmondson completed his tour as the Maintenance Department Head for HSM 77’s homeport shift to Atsugi, Japan, and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Peer Leadership Award for a second time in 2012. Following his Department Head tour, he served two years at Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee, as the HSM Placement Officer (PERS 433I).


HSM 35 is comprised of 263 Sailors and 12 aircraft. HSM 35’s mission is to provide expeditionary combat-ready MH-60R detachments for deployment onboard aviation capable ships as part of Deployed Naval Forces.