STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. (NNS) -- Rear Adm. Timothy C. Gallaudet relieved Rear Adm. Brian B. Brown as commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NAVMETOCCOM) in a traditional change of command ceremony June 18 at Stennis Space Center.
Gallaudet was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) just prior to the ceremony.
Brown said he felt "blessed and lucky" to have worked with the Navy's military and civilian oceanography workforce to perform a mission so critical to the warfighting effectiveness and readiness of the fleet and joint force despite personal hardships, organizational changes and challenged resources in the Navy.
"The changing nature of warfare and the demands of the information age have set us on a new path - the right path - towards fulfillment of Information Dominance for the Navy," he said.
Guest speaker Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, acknowledged the contributions that naval oceanography makes to naval operations and Information Dominance, including developing tools and techniques for optimizing use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
"Naval oceanography is integral to nearly everything our Navy does," he said.
Gallaudet most recently served as the deputy oceanographer of the Navy on the Chief of Naval Operations staff in Washington, D.C.
He said that it was an honor to lead an organization that was founded by the "father of naval oceanography" Matthew Fontaine Maury and looked forward to the next naval oceanographic survey ship, USNS Maury (T AGS 66), becoming operational on his watch later this year.
Brown, who has been NAVMETOCCOM commander since August 2012, has been nominated for promotion and will move to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, where he will serve as deputy commander, Joint Functional Component Command Space, U.S. Strategic Command. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his accomplishments during his tour at Stennis.
NAVMETOCCOM is comprised of approximately 2,500 officer, enlisted and civilian personnel stationed around the world. Naval Oceanography is the Navy's physical maritime battlespace authority, a critical partner across the full range of Department of Defense operations, delivering decision superiority, operational effectiveness and safety to our operational forces.
For more news from Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnmoc/.
Original publication June 18, 2014, from Navy News Service.