Steven Tarr III has been commissioned as a commander for the United States Navy.
Tarr is a native of South Amboy who lives in Guam with his wife and children. He was promoted on Aug. 5 at Polaris Point, Guam, in replacement of Commander David P. Lammers of Cincinnati, Ohio.
A graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School, he then graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Maryland in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.
Following initial training, Tarr served on USS Louisville in Pearl Harbor from October 2001 to August 2004, completing an extended deployment to the Western Pacific in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the Navy’s promotion ceremony pamphlet.
He served as a watch officer and flag aide at commander, submarine group seven, in Yokosuka, Japan, from September 2004 to December 2006.
Tarr served as navigator on USS Seawolf in Bremerton, Washington, from June 2007 to August 2009, completing a Western Pacific deployment.
He also served as navigator on the USS Connecticut in Bremerton from August 2009 to July 2010, completing another Western Pacific deployment.
Tarr served as executive officer on the USS Buffalo from January 2012 to July 2013 in Apra Harbor, Guam, as well as the change of homeport to Pearl Harbor.
Most recently, he served as deputy executive assistant to the commander, United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, from July 2013 to September 2015.
Tarr has a Master of Arts degree in national security studies from the United States Naval War College. He is also a graduate of the National Defense University Joint Forces Staff College and the United States Naval War College Maritime Advanced Warfighting School.
His personal awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.