TOMS RIVER – A Toms River native is making big change overseas while serving in the US Navy.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Leather is part of a critical NATO ballistic missile defense mission in Rota, Spain, working as a damage controlman on the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney.

The US Navy’s ballistic missile defense mission aims to provide protection to both US deployed forces and allies. Aboard a guided-missile destroyer, a 510 ft. warship, Leather is responsible for planning, supervising and performing necessary tasks for damage control, ship stability, preservation of watertight integrity and firefighting as controlman.

With such an important task before him, Leather said that his experiences growing up in Toms River help him to succeed, stating that “hard work pays off.”

Not only this, but Leather is carrying on a family tradition of military service. His grandfather served in the US Army in Korea.

He has earned a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his hard work and positive demeanor.