Executive Officer
Cmdr. Eric "Lumbergh" Kohut
Cmdr. Eric “Lumbergh” Kohut of San Diego, California, graduated from the University of Colorado - Boulder in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and was designated as a naval aviator in April 2009.
Kohut reported to the “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida in 2010 and deployed with HSM-70 aboard USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) from May 2011 to December 2011 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment, he was assigned as the communications officer and line division officer. At the completion of deployment, Kohut served as the quality assurance officer and conducted various underway periods aboard USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and USS Truxtun (DDG 103) as both detachment maintenance and operations officer. He was awarded the “Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic and Naval Helicopter Association Region 3 Pilot of the Year” for 2013.
In November 2013, Kohut reported to Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School Pacific (HSMWSP) at NAS North Island, California. While at HSMWSP, he qualified as a Seahawk weapons and tactics instructor (WTI) and held the billets of electronic warfare program manager, air combat training continuum program manager, and standardization officer.
He reported to Carrier Strike Group 15 in June 2016 as the HSM operations officer, sea combat commander syndicate representative, and operational risk management and battle rhythm and planning evaluator. During this tour, he trained, mentored, and assessed Carrier Strike Group and Amphibious Readiness Group staffs in certification for deployment.
He transferred in March 2018 to the “Griffins” of HSM-79 for his department head tour. While serving as the operations officer of HSM-79, he completed a combat deployment aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in April 2019, augmented by four detachments from the “Grandmasters” of HSM-46, supporting Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Sentinel Sentry.
At the close of 2019, he reported to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium where he served in the Commander’s Action Group as a special assistant, and eventually, as the deputy executive assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command.
His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit commendations, service, and other campaign awards. He has accumulated over 2,300 flight hours.
Commander Kohut reported to the “Swamp Foxes” of HSM-74 as the executive officer on 8 July 2022.