Naval Support Activity Washington Holds Change of Command Ceremony

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Capt. Monte Ulmer relieved Cmdr. David Varner as commanding officer (CO) of Naval Support Activity Washington (NSAW) during a change of command ceremony in Admiral Leutze Park at the Washington Navy Yard April 26.

Varner, a native of El Reno, Oklahoma, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in general engineering. He became a naval aviator in 1995, later qualifying as an F/A-18 Hornet pilot.

His commands included VFA-151 "Vigilantes," VFA-125 "Rough Raiders," and the Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels. He has also served as the current operations section head at the National Airborne Operations Center.

Varner assumed command of Naval Support Activity North Potomac in Washington, D.C., in March 2010, and served in that capacity until September of that year. His command then merged with NSAW, where he has served as CO since. Under his leadership, the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) merger of North Potomac and NSAW was successfully completed. In his new position as CO of NSAW, Varner helmed a six-installation command, comprising more than 80 major tenant commands.

During the ceremony, Varner thanked those who influenced him throughout his career, including his parents, Naval Academy sponsors, his first executive officer, as well as his wife and children. He also thanked those he has served with at NSAW, recognizing their hard work and dedication during his time as NSAW CO.

"To the men, women and Sailors of Naval Support Activity Washington, I want you to know that as challenging as everyone said it is, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here with you," said Varner. "I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to be called 'skipper,' and I have enjoyed being called it by you. You are all professionals. I am so much better for having done this job because of you, and I hope that I have made you better, because I know you've made me better."

During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Patrick Lorge, commandant of Naval District Washington, presented Varner with a Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of second award for his able leadership of NSAW from October 2010 to April 2013. Varner will be retiring with his family to Arkansas.

Prior to coming to NSAW, Ulmer served as department head with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Two (HC-2); officer-in-charge and maintenance officer of the "Desert Ducks" in Manama, Bahrain; executive officer, and later commanding officer, of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Twenty-One (HSC 21) "Blackjacks;" and most recently as air boss aboard USS Peleliu (LHA 5); as well as billets at the Chief of Naval Operations, Information Operations Directorate; and United States Strategic Command's Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike.

"It is an honor and privilege to stand here today as the new commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Washington," said Ulmer. "Having the ceremony here on the Navy Yard, the Navy's oldest shore installation, especially in this park, is awe-inspiring. Though the mission of the installation has changed over the years, dating all the way back to 1799, the core mission of providing exceptional service to the warfighter continues today."

NSAW encompasses the Washington Navy Yard, Naval Support Facility (NSF) Naval Research Laboratory, NSF Suitland, NSF Naval Observatory, NSF Arlington and NSF Carderock. Located in the Nation's Capital, the six installations host many Navy headquarters commands including Commander, Navy Installations Command and Naval District Washington headquarters.

For more news from Naval District Washington, visit www.navy.mil/local/ndw/.