Suffolk, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Reserve Navy Information Dominance Forces Operations held a change of command ceremony at the Navy Global Network Operations and Security Center, Dec. 4.
Capt. Roberta Belesimo relieved Capt. Michael "Barry" Tanner as commanding officer.
"It's been quite a journey for us here in the NR NAVIDFOR OPS unit," said Tanner, who assumed command of NR NAVIDFOR OPS in 2013. "The team I look out on today looks quite different than the one I saw just two short years ago. Our sailors have become even more integrated with our command's mission and are making a difference."
Tanner's next assignment will be as the Information Professional Community Lead on the Information Dominance Corps Reserve Command staff.
Capt. Kelly Aeschbach, Chief of Staff, Navy Information Dominance Forces, was the guest speaker and presented Tanner with the Legion of Merit for his exceptionally meritorious service from December 2013 to November 2015.
Aeschbach praised Tanner's leadership during his tour and welcomed Belesimo.
"During his tenure at the Unit, the command and its sailors have met or exceeded the bar in every mission," said Aeschbach "He is a tremendous leader who inspired the unit to achieve success across the board."
Incoming Commander, Capt. Roberta Belesimo graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1986 where she earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Science. In 1988 she was designated a Naval Aviator and served on active duty as an Aviation Safety Officer, Assistant Training Officer, and Quality Assurance Office. In 1995, Belesimo transitioned into the Navy Reserve as an Information Dominance Corps (IDC) officer, and earned her Masters of the Arts degree in English from Old Dominion University.
Belesimo's reserve assignments include serving in six Navy Reserve Information Dominance Corps units and two Regional Staffs - Mid-Atlantic and Washington, D.C. She also served as Executive Officer of three reserve units: SPAWAR Headquarters, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Technology Transfer, and Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters; and Commanding Officer of Navy Reserve Special Operations Command Europe. Most recently, Belesimo served as a Deputy Chief of Staff for Navy Reserve Carrier Strike Group Four.
"I look forward to the opportunity to serve with each and every one of the NR NAVIDFOR OPS team," said Belesimo "Throughout the next two years, I will work to build on the great work that Capt. Tanner has done, and to expand the command's impact on fleet cyber readiness."
Navy Reserve Navy Information Dominance Forces Operations is charged with supporting the active component in providing commanders ashore and afloat, forward deployable, combat-ready information dominance forces capable of conducting prompt and sustained naval, joint and combined operations in support of U.S. National Interests.
For more information about NAVIDFOR, visit http://www.navidfor.navy.mil/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/USNavyInformationDominanceForces.