Rear Adm. James Malloy was relieved by Rear Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. as commander of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 during a ceremony aboard the flagship USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) July 13.

Adm. Phil Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, served as the ceremony's guest speaker and presiding officer, presenting Malloy with the Legion of Merit.

"You did a superb job. You understood the mission exactly; you communicated that mission to your troops; you expected fine performance and you got it. That is the measure of a tactical headquarters and a tactical level commander," said Davidson. "Combat performance is how we truly measure everything - you did an absolutely extraordinary job."

As the first CSG to operationalize the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP), they completed a 7-month deployment and sustainment exercise, which was the most complex post-deployment certification event ever conducted. And under his leadership, the carrier strike group has remained prepared to surge, if called upon.

While deployed to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation, he supported two combatant commanders during Operations Inherent Resolve (OIR). He executed a broad spectrum of maritime security operations as commander of Task Force (CTF) 50, ensuring precise execution of every mission, strengthening our network of partners and providing a stabilizing presence throughout U.S. Central Command. He implemented a comprehensive and proactive theater security cooperation effort that included exercises with important allies and regional partners as well as hosting numerous distinguished visitors.

"If I brought any value to you from CENTCOM, it was to ensure that every Sailor, all 7000 across our force understood - the incredible relevance of this aircraft carrier strike group in combat (with USS Harry S. Truman before and USS George H.W. Bush now) in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Gulf and across Iraq and Syria," said Malloy. "Through your skill, flexibility, tenacity and precision, we turned the corner against ISIS. In my travels to our ships and squadrons, it was an easy case to make - our Navy is essential, powerful and effective, and what our Sailors did and do makes the difference - now and into the future."

Malloy, who will report as vice director for operations, J3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral by Vice Adm. (ret) Doug Katz.

Paparo, a native of Morton, PA, most recently served as a Navy corporate fellow in Corporate Strategy, Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Maryland.

CSG-10 consists of Ike, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, the guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Monterey (CG 61), DESRON 26 and its associated guided-missile destroyers USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).

CVW-3 consists of the "Fighting Swordsmen" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32, the "Sidewinders" of VFA-86, the "Gunslingers" of VFA-105, the "Wildcats" of VFA-131, the "Dusty Dogs" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7, the "Swamp Foxes" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74, the "Screwtops" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, the "Zappers" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 and the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40.

Assets assigned to CSG-10 are currently is in the sustainment and maintenance phases of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP), with Oscar Austin forward deployed in support of maritime security operations.


For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/.