 His previous Flag assignments were as director of Deep Blue, the Navy Operations Group, from August 2002 to May 2004, director of Operations, Plans and Political Military Affairs Division (N31/N52) from September 2001-October 2002 — both on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.Additionally he served as commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine/"Abraham Lincoln" Strike Group from July 2004 to August 2005 deploying to the western Pacific and serving as commander of Combined Support Group Indonesia, as part of Operation Unified Assistance (Tsunami Relief effort).Vice Admiral Crowder was selected as an Olmsted Scholar and studied European Economic and Political Affairs at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland from 1980-82.