Some careers are chosen. Others become missions.
From the decks of U.S. Navy warships to America’s busiest ports of entry, every assignment became another chapter in a lifetime devoted to service. Every ship, every duty station, and every port of entry left its mark—not only on my career, but on the stories I would later tell through the WALRUS series.
SERVICE RECORD
Mission assignments listed in chronological order.
Duty Station 001
USS RENTZ (FFG-46)
Assignment: Guided Missile Frigate
Mission: Surface warfare, escort operations, maritime security, and worldwide deployments.
Every sailor remembers the first ship that truly became home. Long watches, endless drills, deployments, friendships, and lessons learned at sea laid the foundation for everything that followed.
Duty Station 002
USNS PASSUMPSIC
Assignment: Fleet Oiler / Logistics Support
Behind every successful naval operation is a logistics ship making sure the fleet never runs out of fuel, supplies, or endurance. It was another lesson that missions succeed because every member of the team performs their role.
Duty Station 003
USS STANDLEY (CG-32)
Assignment: Guided Missile Cruiser
Serving aboard USS Standley continued my Navy career aboard one of the fleet’s premier surface combatants. The experience strengthened my skills in teamwork, operational readiness, and the day-to-day professionalism required to keep a warship mission ready around the clock.
Duty Station 004
USS LA SALLE (AGF-3)
Assignment: COMIDEASTFOR Flagship
Serving aboard USS La Salle during Operation Desert Storm provided a front-row seat to history. It reinforced the importance of leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and readiness during one of the defining military operations of the era.
Duty Station 005
NAVAL STATION SAN DIEGO
Assignment: Naval Security Specialist
For the next three years, my mission shifted from the open sea to the international border. Assigned to Shore Patrol, I was part of the team responsible for recovering U.S. servicemembers who had been arrested, injured, hospitalized, or stranded while on liberty in Mexico. Whether the situation involved local law enforcement, medical emergencies, or simply a bad decision, our mission remained the same: locate them, bring them safely back across the border, and return them to their commands.
Duty Station 006
UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE
San Ysidro, California
Otay Mesa, California
The mission expanded from military security to protecting America’s borders. Every inspection demanded professionalism, vigilance, and sound judgment while facilitating lawful travel and commerce through some of the busiest land ports of entry in the world.
Duty Station 007
UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE
Brownsville, Texas
Continuing the mission on the southwest border, serving one of the nation’s busiest international crossings while protecting the homeland and supporting lawful trade and travel.
Duty Station 008
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
Houston, Texas
The final active-duty chapter of a federal career, bringing decades of military and law enforcement experience to one of the nation’s major ports before retirement.
Duty Station 009
RETIRED
Veteran • Grandfather • Storyteller
Retirement didn’t end the mission—it simply changed it.
Today, the lessons learned through decades of military and federal service continue through the WALRUS series, sharing stories of leadership, humor, duty, friendship, and the unforgettable people encountered along the way.
MISSION STATUS: CONTINUES
The uniform has been retired, but a new generation now carries the future.
These seven grandchildren are why the stories are preserved.
Actions > Words
Javier DeLEON
U.S. Navy Veteran • U.S. Customs Inspector (Ret.) • Storyteller
Fair winds and following seas.
Thank you for visiting.