Bill Lescher was in charge of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) Squadron-48's Vipers, HSL-40's Airwolves, and the Atlantic Fleet's Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing. Between Viper and Airwolf commands, he was the executive officer of Mine Countermeasures Command and Control Ship USS Inchon (MCS 12). As a flag officer, he led Expeditionary Strike Group 5 and Task Forces 51/59 in Bahrain, commanding multiple Amphibious Ready Groups, Marine Expeditionary Units, and the afloat forward staging base USS Ponce (AFSB (I)-15) in contingency response and counter-terrorism missions spanning the Middle East and Central Command region.