OFFICIAL RETIREMENT NOTICE — UNCLASSIFIED
United States Navy Retirement Ceremony
Eric Bernsen
"Slick"
CAPTAIN, USN · O-6
27 Years of Mostly Controlled Flight
Official Invitation
August 8
2026
4:00 PM
Mission Launch In
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Retirement Ceremony · United States Navy
Captain Eric "Slick" Bernsen, USN
San Diego Yacht Club · San Diego, CA
1011 Anchorage Ln, San Diego, CA 92106
Ceremony 4:00 PM · Party to Follow
Captain Eric "Slick" Bernsen, USN
San Diego Yacht Club · San Diego, CA
1011 Anchorage Ln, San Diego, CA 92106
Ceremony 4:00 PM · Party to Follow
We're hoping for an adults night out — but if that's not possible, your whole crew is welcome.
RSVP below — the logistics officer needs a headcount.
Mark it. Show up. Bring sea stories.
The Weekend
The ceremony is August 8th. The days leading up to it — the 6th and 7th — could develop a life of their own. If you're planning to travel, reach out before you book: there may be more on the schedule worth knowing about.
Get in Touch →Where the margins are real, bold isn't reckless — it's prepared.
Do the homework. Know the limits. Take care of your people.
Do the homework. Know the limits. Take care of your people.
If you're going to be stupid, be smart about it.
— Tom Slick, Seahawk Driver · Life Philosophy · Official Flight Brief Addendum
Service Record
By The Numbers
Years of Service27
USNA Class of1999
Final GradeO-6
Command Tours3
Deployments3
Helicopters Returned IntactMost
Regrets0
Aircraft Flown
The Fleet
T-34C Turbo Mentor · Orange and White
TH-57B/C Sea Ranger · "Down, right, idle, turn…"
SH-60B Seahawk · Where it started
HH-60H Rescue Hawk · Not a drill
MH-60R Romeo · The upgrade
MH-60S Sierra · The utility workhorse
Operational History
Deployments
2002
North Arabian Gulf
HSL-42 · Ensuring freedom of navigation and finding creative ways to stay cool in 120°F heat.
HSL-42 · Ensuring freedom of navigation and finding creative ways to stay cool in 120°F heat.
2003–04
Eastern Pacific
HSL-42 · Counter-narcotics ops. Technically a drug task force. Conveniently tropical.
HSL-42 · Counter-narcotics ops. Technically a drug task force. Conveniently tropical.
2023–24
Djibouti, Horn of Africa
Director, Camp Titan · Recalled from reserves — A helicopter pilot running a Special Operations camp in the Horn of Africa. The Navy had its reasons. They remain unexplained.
Director, Camp Titan · Recalled from reserves — A helicopter pilot running a Special Operations camp in the Horn of Africa. The Navy had its reasons. They remain unexplained.
Career Highlights
The Résumé
- United States Naval Academy, Class of 1999
- Tactics Instructor, HSM Weapons School Pacific · Flight Instructor, HSL-41 — simultaneously responsible for teaching Naval aviators both how to fly and what to shoot.
- MH-60S Utility Pilot, SCORE Detachment · HSC-85, HSC-21, HSC-3 (2009–2019) · flew reserve helos throughout, including during law school (2009–2012) — passed the bar in 2012 while still in the cockpit
- Commanding Officer, HSC-3 SAU (2017–2019) · Commanding Officer, NR VTC-12 (2019–2022)
- Recalled to active duty · Director, Camp Titan, Djibouti (2023–2024) — ran a Special Operations camp in the Horn of Africa with his CO in Stuttgart. A 5,000-mile chain of command that suited everyone just fine.
Candid Assessment · Eyes Only
What The Citation Won't Capture
- Mastered four variants of the Seahawk across his career spanning active duty, the reserves, and three deployments, including one recalled-from-the-reserves surprise
- Served as a tactics and flight instructor across his career and somehow found time to pass the bar, build a patent law practice, and then come back as flight instructor and reserve augment unit CO at HSC-3, all at the same time. The law firm presumably asked fewer questions than the Navy.
- 27 years. Three deployments. Four airframes. Three command tours. One law degree. The citation will cover most of it — the rest is classified or still pending review.
- The call sign is equal parts irreverence, leadership philosophy, and patent strategy. Bold is fine. Careless isn't. Know your margins — in the cockpit, in the courtroom, or in the prior art.
Official Attendance Confirmation
RSVP
Kindly confirm your attendance by July 18, 2026 — so the logistics officer can plan accordingly and the bar can be appropriately stocked.