Navy Recruiting District (NRD) Nashville held a change of command ceremony at Lipscomb University, May 26.

During the ceremony, Cmdr. Todd Sullivan relieved Cmdr. Jaime Hernandez as commanding officer.

While serving as commanding officer of NRD Nashville, Hernandez led a team of more than 210 Sailors and civilians to successfully recruit nearly 2,400 new enlisted Sailors and 91 commissioned officers. He also oversaw the successful implementation of a district-wide realignment of manpower and station relocations to maximize the use of government funding in a process known as optimization.

Capt. William T. Cox Jr., commander of Navy Recruiting Region East, was the guest speaker. Cox presented Hernandez with the Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding achievement as commanding officer. He was recognized for ensuring the welfare and mission readiness among 50 stations in seven states.

Hernandez thanked all those who supported him throughout his career and commended Sullivan on his superb leadership abilities.

"Team Nashville is identifying the highest caliber of young men and women for naval service within our assigned area in the south," said Hernandez. "The proud Sailors and civilians of Navy Recruiting District Nashville are unparalleled in performance and will undoubtedly reach new heights under 'skipper' Sullivan's leadership."

Immediately following the change of command, Hernandez retired after 21 years of naval service.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Hernandez enlisted in the Navy in 1991 to attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996, and subsequently reported to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. In February 1999, he earned his "Wings of Gold" with Training Squadron (VT) 31 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was designated as a Navy pilot. He is a 2005 graduate of the Naval War College and has a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He will graduate from Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management with a Master of Business Administration in July.

Sullivan, who has served as the executive officer of NRD Nashville since July 2014, said it is an honor to be assigned a naval command and it is a duty he holds in the highest regard. He became the 17th commanding officer to lead NRD Nashville since it was reestablished in 1996.

"Nashville will continue to lead the way in recruiting initiatives, changing the business model by moving the recruiting enterprise forward," said Sullivan, a native of Rockford, Illinois.

Sullivan enlisted March 1988 and received his commission June 1, 1999 via the Limited Duty Officer program as a Supply Corps officer. He later transferred to the Human Resources officer community and has previously served as operations officer at Navy Recruiting District Jacksonville, Florida. He has earned a Master of Science in Management.

In his closing remarks, he addressed the command and encouraged each of them to consider the mission of naval service.

"Although this ceremony marks the transfer of command between two naval officers -- I ask all of us to rededicate ourselves to the service of our great nation," Sullivan said. "Team Nashville, you have my full trust and confidence and I am excited to stand here today taking the helm of the greatest Navy command."

NRD Nashville is one of 13 districts which make up Navy Recruiting Region East. More than 100,000 square miles are assigned to NRD Nashville including counties in Tennessee, Arkansas, northern Alabama, northern Georgia, northern Mississippi, southern Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia.

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For more information on NRD Nashville, visit us at http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/nashville/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NRD.Nashville/.