Cmdr. Matthew Erdner relieved Cmdr. Terrence Frost as USS Mason (DDG 87), commanding officer Nov. 22, during a ceremony held aboard the ship at Naval Station Norfolk.

For Frost, the ceremony concluded a 14-month command tour aboard the Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer. Under his command, Mason successfully prepared and executed a 5th and 6th Fleet deployment. During the deployment, the Mason crew safely conducted numerous escorts of U.S. flagged-merchant vessels in and out of the Strait of Hormuz. These operations assisted in maintaining maritime security and the free flow of commerce throughout the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.   

At the ceremony, Frost noted the crew’s resilience and applauded their efforts to ensure maritime security.

"We completed escorts to maintain maritime security throughout the 5th and 6th Fleet operating areas,” said Frost. “The Mason officers, chiefs and crew are the toughest, most resilient Sailors I have served with in more than 27 years. Their dedication to Mason’s success is what allowed me to excel in the command.”

Frost began his career in 1993 when he enlisted as an Air Traffic Controller in Columbia, S.C. After commissioning through the Enlisted Commissioning Program in 2001 from the University of South Carolina, he completed several significant operations and multiple multinational exercises. Before his tour on Mason, he served as the executive officer of the Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) where he completed a 5thand 6th Fleet deployment.

Erdner took command of Mason after a tour as the ship’s executive officer under Frost. 
“With Cmdr Erdner’ s strong work ethic and motivating personality displayed during his time as my executive officer, I have no doubt he will excel as Mason’s commanding officer,” said Frost.

To conclude the ceremony, Erdner read his orders, assumed command and addressed the audience as Mason commanding officer."I had a great tour as the executive officer onboard Mason, and I'm truly humbled to command this great warship and her phenomenal crew," said Erdner.

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