Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center (NPPSC) held a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Mid-South, May 25.

During the ceremony Capt. Carol Kushmier relieved Capt. Steven Friloux as commanding officer.

"Improvement and change are part of our business, but it just doesn't happen on its own," said guest speaker Rear Adm. Ann Burkhardt, director, DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office and Navy Human Resources Community leader. "It happens because of servant leadership, clear vision, creativity, ingenuity, coordination, and teamwork. Lastly, just a little bit of good old-fashioned hard work. Capt. Friloux has led the way in making that happen."

Friloux led major changes to the Navy's pay and personnel system outlined in NAVADMIN 235/16 to include modernizing pay and personnel training, improving Sailor and command self-service, adding more military personnel to Personnel Support Detachments (PSD), and implementing changes to increase opportunities for Navy civilians.

"I've been absolutely blessed to lead you as commanding officer, I will absolutely miss it," said Friloux. "It's working with you guys. We've done a lot of great things together."

Friloux, a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, enlisted in 1988 and earned a scholarship from the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps to Louisiana State University. He was commissioned as a supply corps officer in 1993 and designated as a human resources officer in 2006.

"To the NPPSC team, all I can say is 'Wow!' I'm in awe of all the great accomplishments they have achieved," said Kushmier upon assuming command. "I'm ready to pick up the torch and carry it to the finish line for transformation to better support our Sailors and their families. Let's get to work!"

A native of Sante Fe, New Mexico, Kushmier received her commission at Officer Candidate School in 1990. She joined the Navy human resources career field in 1999 and recently completed a joint duty assignment as director of manpower and personnel at United States Southern Command.

NPPSC's mission statement is to execute Navy pay and personnel policy by providing quick and accurate pay, personnel, and passenger transportation services to Sailors and their families through a properly trained and professional global network of personnel support detachments so Sailors can maintain peace of mind and safely focus on their operational mission.

"Here's the key, what's the why?" asked Burkhardt, referring to the mission statement. "'So Sailors can maintain peace of mind and safely focus on their operational mission.' He (Friloux) and his senior enlisted leader traveled to every detachment worldwide to spread the message. At every CO's call he thanked his team members for their work and reminded them why their work was so important."

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