DVIDS – News – Submarine Squadron 16 Commander Passes Command
KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -Commandant, Submarine Squadron 16 (CSS-16) held a change of command ceremony aboard Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., Aug. 6.
Captain Todd Nethercott relieved Captain William Patterson as CSS-16 Commodore during a ceremony held at the Base Chapel.
Commanding Officer, Group Ten Submarine Rear Adm. John Spencer was the guest speaker at the event and congratulated Patterson on a job well done.
âBill and his team have successfully trained, mentored and certified the crews of the USS Florida and USS Georgia for continued forward deployment operations,â said Spencer. These forward-deployed operations spanned three combat commanders, directly supporting their emergency operations overseas and their missions vital to the national security of the United States. I want to make it clear that this is no small task.
Patterson is originally from Holliston, Massachusetts and graduated from Holy Cross College with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics, and holds a Masters of Arts and Military Operational Science from Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama.
He took command in May 2019 and attributes his success to the tenacity of the CSS-16 personnel who supported the four crews of the Ohio-class guided-missile submarines.
âThrough all of our challenges, you and your teams have performed brilliantly and the Squadron’s record over the past two years is a testament to your professionalism and tenacity,â said Patterson. “[USS] Florida received a Meritorious Unit Citation after the successful completion of the longest submarine deployment on record, [USS] Georgia was successfully deployed with both fully certified crews, another first SSGN and Georgia Blue [crew] winning the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for the most improved ship in the fleet. Additionally, [USS] Wyoming broke all previous “top marks” as they completed their technical refueling overhaul and returned to Squadron 20. Individually, these accomplishments are impressive. Together, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are truly remarkable. ”
Under his command, the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) returned to homeport after completing a more than two year overhaul at the Norfolk Shipyard, USS Georgia (SSGN 729) (gold) received the trophy of the Fleet Arleigh Burke 2020, USS Florida (SSGN 728) received a Meritorious Unit Commendation, and her staff supported the USS Georgia’s forward deployment at sea for nearly a year.
Nethercott, the new commodore, is from Wyoming and was commissioned as part of the Nuclear Propulsion Candidate Program. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
He assumed command after serving on the Joint Chiefs of Staff as head of the nuclear operations division, where he was responsible for nuclear procedures and assessments, nuclear strike operations and nuclear safety.
During the ceremony, Spencer awarded Patterson the Legion of Merit for his service as the squadron commodore.
Patterson will now serve as a senior executive at the Fellowship Council for Foreign Relations in New York.
The CSS-16 provides the nation with a unique and formidable independent combat capability by certifying Ohio-class guided missile submarines assigned to special warfare, strikes, and autonomous operations in support of national objectives.
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is the home port for all Ohio-class submarines on the East Coast.
For more information on the Sub Group 10 Commander, visit https://www.sublant.usff.navy.mil/CSG10/ or https://www.facebook.com/submarinegroupten.
Date taken: | 08.06.2021 |
Date posted: | 08.09.2021 09:52 |
Story ID: | 402627 |
Place: | KINGS BAY, Georgia, United States |
Hometown: | HOLLISTON, MA, United States |
Web Views: | 16 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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