Rear Admiral Lescher, a native of Highland Park, IL, graduated with Distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980 with a degree in Systems Engineering.  He flew H-2 Seasprites with the Lamplighters ofHelicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) 36 after graduating with distinction from primary and helicopter flight training, and H-60 Seahawks with the HSL-44 Swampfoxes, deploying aboard USS O’Bannon (DD 987), USS Clark (FFG 11), USS Capodanno (FF 1068) and USS Elrod (FFG 55).

In later tours, he commanded the Vipers of HSL-48, the Airwolves of HSL-40 and the Atlantic Fleet Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light Wing.  The Vipers earned their first Battle E and supported combat operations in Iraq and Serbia during his tour as executive and commanding officer; the Airwolves earned the Theodore Ellyson award as the top East Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron. While commodore, his wing surged 35 of 40 Seahawk detachments in 12 months during Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, and flew a record 30,000 hours over two years.  He concurrently served as lead commodore for transition of the seven Navy helicopter wings to the Helicopter Maritime Strike and Helicopter Sea Combat communities, and to the MH-60R and MH-60S aircraft.

Between command of the Vipers and Airwolves, Lescher was executive officer of the Mine Countermeasures Command and Control Ship USS Inchon (MCS 12), which completed major maintenance and training for a subsequent Western Pacific deployment while earning recognition for the most improved Sailor retention in the Atlantic Fleet Surface Force.

On his first shore tour, Lescher graduated with distinction from Naval Test Pilot School following intermediate jet training.  He led the Naval Air Warfare Center team conducting all SH-60B testing, and launched the first guided missiles from a Navy helicopter.  In other shore tours, he served on the Navy staff in the Space, Command and Control (C2), and Information Warfare (IW) Directorate, as head of the programming branch, and represented Navy Space, C2 and IW views to the congressionally directed Commission on Roles and Missions.  He later served in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller, as deputy director/acting director of the Budget and Appropriations Affairs Directorate, providing congressional appropriations liaison for the Secretary of Defense and other senior Department leaders.  He also served on the Joint Staff, as head of the Joint Staff 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review Office and as the Program and Budget Analysis Division chief in J8.  His initial Flag assignment was as director, Operations Division, Office of Budget, Department of the Navy.

Lescher has been recognized as the Association of Naval Aviation’s HSL Pilot of the Year, the Naval Helicopter Association’s Regional Pilot of the Year, and the Naval Air Warfare Center’s Rotary Wing Test Pilot of the Year.  He holds an MBA degree from the Harvard Business School and an Aeronautical Engineering MS degree from the Naval Postgraduate School/Test Pilot School Cooperative program. His military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation and Achievement Medals, and various campaign and unit decorations.