Cmdr. Philip Knight relieved Cmdr. Nakia Cooper as commanding officer of USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) during a change of command ceremony on the ship's flight deck, Jan. 12.

The ship's 300 member crew, family, friends and Rear Adm. Jeffrey Hughes, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2, the ceremonies keynote speaker, gathered to celebrate the event.

Cooper led the Oak Hill through its recent support of hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as leading the ship to the successful completion of a Combined Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), a capstone event certifying the ship to deploy under the leadership of Knight.

Oak Hill is preparing for deployment with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The Iwo Jima ARG is comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), the transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21), Oak Hill, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 22, components of Naval Beach group (NBG) 2, and the embarked staff of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4.

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For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element, visit www.navy.mil/.