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Immediate Release

Flag Officer Assignments

The secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced the following assignments:

Rear Adm. Anthony C. Carullo will be assigned as director, Warfare Development, N72, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Carullo is currently serving as director, Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

Rear Adm. Carl A. Lahti will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. Lahti is currently serving as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan: and commander, Navy Region Japan, Yokosuka, Japan.

Rear Adm. Daniel P. Martin will be assigned as commander, Naval Safety Command, Norfolk, Virginia. Martin is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Rear Adm. Milton J. Sands will be assigned as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, San Diego, California. Sands is currently serving as chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Rear Adm. Christopher J. Sweeney will be assigned as director, Warfare Integration, N9I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Sweeney is currently serving as director, Warfare Development, N72, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. James P. Waters III will be assigned as commander, Navy Recruiting Command, Millington, Tennessee. Waters is currently serving as director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division, N13, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Arlington, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Susan BryerJoyner, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Warfare Integration Directorate, N2/N6I, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. BryerJoyner is currently serving as deputy director, Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber, J-6, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas R. Buchanan, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Plans and Policy, J5, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Buchanan is currently serving as commander, Submarine Group Ten, Kings Bay, Georgia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jennifer S. Couture, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division, N13, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Arlington, Virginia. Couture is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Eleven, Everett, Washington.

Rear Adm. (lower half) William R. Daly, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Surface Warfare Division, N96, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Daly is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Fifteen, San Diego, California.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Erik J. Eslich, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Eslich is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Twelve, Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Patrick J. Hannifin, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director of operations, J3, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. Hannifin is currently serving as commander, Task Force Seven Zero; and commander, Carrier Strike Group Five, Yokosuka, Japan.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Gregory C. Huffman, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Joint Task Force-Micronesia, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Apra, Guam. Huffman is currently serving as U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Representative, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau; commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas; and commander, Joint Region Marianas, Apra, Guam.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Elizabeth S. Okano, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California. Okano is currently serving as program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Carlos A. Sardiello, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Southern Command; and commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet, Jacksonville, Florida. Sardiello is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group One, San Diego, California.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Eric J. Anduze will be assigned as director, Joint/Fleet Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. Anduze is currently serving as deputy commander, Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Africa.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Brian H. Bennett will be assigned as deputy director, Special Operations and Counter Terrorism, J-3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Bennett is currently serving as assistant commander-Operations, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

Rear Adm. (lower half) George Bresnihan will be assigned as commander, Defense Logistics Agency – Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Bresnihan is currently serving as director, Logistics

Directorate, J-4, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Maximilian Clark will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Eleven, Everett, Washington. Clark is currently serving as assistant chief of staff, J-3, Joint Forces Command, Naples, Naples, Italy.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Adan G. Cruz will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Three, Bremerton, Washington. Cruz is currently serving as deputy director for Politico-Military Affairs (Middle East), J-5, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas J. Dickinson will be assigned as program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, Washington, D.C. Dickinson is currently serving as commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center; and commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Kavon Hakimzadeh will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Two, Norfolk, Virginia. Hakimzadeh is currently serving as director, Joint/Fleet Operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Ian L. Johnson will be assigned as commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan, and commander, Navy Region Japan, Yokosuka, Japan. Johnson is currently serving as commander, Navy Region Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Kevin M. Kennedy will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Fifteen, San Diego, California. Kennedy is currently serving as assistant commander for Career Management, PERS-4, Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Christopher A. Kijek will be assigned as director, Learning to Action Board, Washington, D.C. Kijek is currently serving as commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Brett W. Mietus will be assigned as commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group, Norfolk, Virginia. Mietus is currently serving as director, Navy Culture and Resilience Office, N17, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Arlington, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Andrew T. Miller will be assigned as director, Plans and Operations, U.S. Naval Forces Europe – Sixth Fleet; deputy commander, Sixth Fleet: and commander, Submarine Group Eight, Naples, Italy. Miller is currently serving as commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center, Groton, Connecticut.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Thomas Moninger will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Twelve, Norfolk, Virginia. Moninger is currently serving as director, Plans, Policy and Integration, N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Gregory D. Newkirk will be assigned as commander, Task Force Seven Zero; and commander, Carrier Strike Group Five, Yokosuka, Japan. Newkirk is currently serving as deputy director for Operations, National Joint Operations Intelligence Center, Operations Team Two, J-3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Chase D. Patrick will be assigned as commandant, National War College, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. Patrick is currently serving as director of Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa/Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Frank A. Rhodes IV is assigned as deputy director for Operations, National Joint Operations Intelligence Center, Operations Team Two, J-3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Rhodes recently served as executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark A. Schafer will be assigned as commander, Special Operations Command South, U.S. Southern Command, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. Schafer is currently serving as commander, Special Operations Joint Task Force – Central, Doha, Qatar.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Alexis T. Walker will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Ten, Norfolk, Virginia. Walker is currently serving as commander, Navy Recruiting Command, Millington, Tennessee.

Rear Adm. (lower half) David P. Walt will be assigned as commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Two, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Walt is currently serving as deputy director for Resources and Acquisitions, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Todd S. Weeks will be assigned as program executive officer, Strategic Submarines, Washington, D.C. Weeks is currently serving as program executive officer, Undersea Warfare Systems, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert E. Wirth will be assigned as commander, Submarine Group Ten, Kings Bay, Georgia. Wirth is currently serving as deputy director, Strategic Targeting and Nuclear Mission Planning, J-5N, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael S. Wosje will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group One, San Diego, California. Wosje is currently serving as chief of staff, Strike Force NATO, Lisbon, Portugal.

Capt. Frankie J. Clark, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Navy Culture and Force Resilience Office, N17, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Clark is currently serving as executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Capt. David G. Duff, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Plans, Policy and Integration, N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Duff is currently serving as commanding officer, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, Virginia.

Capt. Brian A. Harding, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Naval Information Warfighting Development Center, Norfolk, Virginia. Harding is currently serving as information warfare commander, Carrier Strike Group Three, Bremerton,

Washington.

Capt. Jeffrey L. Heames, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as assistant commander for Career Management, PERS-4, Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee. Heames is currently serving as director, Surface Warfare Officer Career Management and Distribution Division (PERS-41), Navy Personnel Command, Millington, Tennessee.

Capt. John W. Hewitt, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida. Hewitt is currently serving as chief of staff, Navy Installations Command, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Marcos A. Jasso, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Logistics Group, Western Pacific: and commander, Task Force Seven Three, Singapore. Jasso is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Capt. Matthew J. Kawas, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command: deputy commander, Fifth Fleet. Kawas is currently serving as principal military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Justin A. Kubu, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa, U.S. Africa Command. Kubu is currently serving as commander, Amphibious Squadron Seven, San Diego, California.

Capt. Robert E. Loughran Jr., selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy director for Resources and Acquisitions, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Loughran is currently serving as branch head, Carrier Strike Aircraft and Weapons, N98, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Philip S. Miller, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director of Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa/Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy. Miller is currently serving as branch head, Carriers, N98, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Erin P. Osborne, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy director, J-5, Political-Military Affairs, (Middle East), Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Osborne is currently serving as executive assistant to the vice chief of naval operations, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Bartley A. Randall, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as assistant commander-operations, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Randall is currently serving as assistant deputy director for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Melvin R. Smith Jr., selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy director, Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command. Smith is currently serving as executive assistant to the commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

Capt. Vincent S. Tionquiao, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy director, C4/Cyber Systems, J-6, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Tionquiao is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland.

Capt. Michael York, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Defense Logistics Agency – Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. York is currently serving as director, Fleet Supply Readiness and Operations, N412, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.