Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (CNREURAFSWA) has been renamed as Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central (CNREURAFCENT).

The change of name is intended to align Navy Region EURAFCENT, the Navy’s largest overseas region command, with the geographic designation for the combatant and component commands it supports in Southwest Asia, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet (NAVCENT/C5F).

While Navy Region EURAFCENT has a new name, though, it still has the same mission – providing critical shore support to enable U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where and when they are needed in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.

“Every day, our Sailors and civilians work side by side with the NAVCENT and CENTCOM staffs to ensure security and stability throughout CENTCOM’s area of responsibility,” said Rear Adm. Yancy Lindsey, commander of Navy Region EURAFCENT. “Our revised name not only better aligns with our key customers, it also better represents the theaters of operations we support.”

Navy Region EURAFCENT was first established as Commander, Navy Region Europe (CNRE) in November 2001 at Grosvenor Square, London. Rear Adm. David T. Hart Jr., the deputy commander of Naval Forces Europe, assumed additional duties as CNRE’s first commander.

With the disestablishment of U.S. Naval Activities United Kingdom in September 2007, CNRE relocated its headquarters from London to Naples, Italy, alongside Commander, Naval Forces Europe (CNE) and Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet (C6F).

Two years later, CNRE assumed operational and administrative control of Navy Region Southwest Asia (NRSWA), headquartered at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain. With the disestablishment of Commander, Navy Region Southwest Asia on Jan. 23, 2009, CNRE was renamed Commander, Navy Region EURAFSWA, under the command of Rear Adm. David J. Mercer.

Today, Navy Region EURAFCENT is responsible for management of Navy installations and facilities throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia, including NSA Naples, Italy; Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Italy; Naval Station Rota, Spain; NSA Souda Bay, Greece; NSA Bahrain; Isa Air Base, Bahrain; Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti; Naval Support Facility (NSF) Deveselu, Romania; and NSF Redzikowo, Poland.

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