YOKOSUKA, Japan – The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) has welcomed HSM-51 Detachment 2 known as The Bandidos Gorditos onboard for Shoup’s third patrol in 7th fleet. Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Funkhouser known as Air Boss or “Skylorde” has been at HSM-51 for 6 months. Funkhouser states, “Integration is easy when everyone is working for the same goal. Whether we fly aircraft, man the boat deck, stand bridge watches, or any other position on the ship, if everyone has the same goal in mind, it is easy to find the right answer and work together. So far, everyone on the ship has worked towards the same goals day in and day out. This mentality has helped to make our transition to becoming a part of ship’s company easy and seamless.”

Air Boss is from Spokane Valley, Washington and says it has more in common with Idaho rather than Seattle. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Gonzaga University and a master’s of science in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He commissioned through Officer Candidate School (OCS). He has previously been stationed at Vance Air Force Base, NAS Whiting, North Island for FRS and HSM-75 (7th fleet deployment, and 5th fleet deployment), NAS Whiting (Instructor job), and 32nd street Naval Base San Diego as Air Boss on USS Portland (LPD 27).

For fun, he plays soccer and hangs out with his wife, Amanda and their 8 year old black lab/Rottweiler mix. He played in college and was a two time All West Coast Conference Second Team player then played a partial season with the Kitsap Pumas in Washington. He also went to the All Navy Team Camp and played there shortly. A core memory while being in the service was when he promoted to Lieutenant Commander and his family including his sister (Coast Guard) flew in to San Diego to promote him in front of the USS Portlands’ Wardroom. His future career goals include three more tours than hopefully, retire. He plans on moving to Washington, DC to work at the Pentagon.

Air Boss is motivated by fun. He enjoys people working together and doing their job well. It promotes comradery, pride and joy in and out of the workplace. If you ever see him out and about, ask him about the time he swallowed a pit of a plum in Atsugi.