Ponds was the last commanding officer of the Spruance-classdestroyerUSS Fife, which he commanded from 2001 to when the ship was decommissioned in February 2003.
2007-2009
In 2007, he took command of Amphibious Squadron EIGHT (embarked onboard USS Kearsarge), receiving the honorary title of Commodore.[5] This period saw him engaged as Mission Commander of anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia; Operation Sea Angel II providing relief hurricane relief efforts in Bangladesh; and Operation Continuing Promise which included additional relief efforts in hurricane ravaged Haiti.[5][8]
Ponds has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four), Meritorious Service Medal (five), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
^ ab"Release No: NR-120-15, Flag Officer Assignments". United States Department of Defense. 2015-04-10. Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-22. Rear Adm. (lower half) Fernandez L. Ponds will be assigned as commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, U.S. Southern Command, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ponds is currently serving as commander, Expeditionary Strike Group THREE, San Diego, California.