The change of command also served as Anderson’s retirement ceremony, celebrating his 33 years of naval service.

“I will miss the camaraderie, sense of mission and can-do-attitude of the officers, chiefs and Sailors in our Navy,” Anderson said.

Anderson led 11 surface combatants and more than 5,000 Sailors to achieve operational excellence and unsurpassed combat readiness as commodore of CNSS 14. 

Anderson’s career started in 1990, as a machinist mate. After a full and storied career, he revealed what he will miss the most in retirement. 

Afloat, Anderson served aboard USS Scott (DDG 995) as damage control assistant, USS Hue City (CG 66) as the fire control officer, USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) as weapons officer and combat systems officer, USS Simpson (FFG 56) as executive officer and commanding officer. He served on the staff of Commander, Carrier Strike Group Twelve as the surface operations officer and flag operations/N3.  Simpson has the distinction of being the last Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate in the US Fleet upon its decommissioning in September 2015.

Ashore, Anderson served as the executive assistant to the Chief of Legislative Affairs, the deputy division chief for the Resource and Acquisition Management Office and military secretariat in the J-8 Directorate of the Joint Staff, and on the OPNAV staff as the warfare integration programming branch head within Warfare Integration (N9I).

Anderson expressed his faith in Blakeslee’s leadership during the ceremony.

“I am confident that you will continue to lead our staff and our ships to success,” Anderson said.

Blakeslee has served on ships in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets with deployed operations in the Atlantic, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Western Pacific areas of operation. Her sea assignments include air transportation officer on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72); electrical and auxiliaries officer and training officer on USS Stout (DDG 55); weapons and combat systems officer on USS Port Royal (CG 73); operations officer for CTG 515.1 onboard USNS Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017); and executive officer on USS The Sullivans (DDG 68). Blakeslee commanded USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), which earned the Battle “E” and served as the Ballistic Missile Defense Commander for Carrier Strike Group EIGHT in the Arabian Gulf.

Her assignments ashore include selection as a Navy Washington D.C. intern with internships at OPNAV's Deep Blue, Navy Legislative Affairs, and Joint Staff J-5; deputy executive assistant OPNAV N3/N5; seamanship and navigation instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy; J3 Plans Arabian Gulf branch chief, deputy executive officer to Commander, U.S. Central Command, J5 Strategic communication branch chief U.S Central Command, and as the executive assistant to the Director, Maritime Operations and training execution and certification (N71) branch chief on the staff of U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

“I am humbled,” Blakeslee said. “Humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the largest squadron of destroyers in the Navy.”

CNSS 14 is the administrative immediate superior in command for the guided-missile destroyers homeported at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida.