Rear Adm. Jesse A. Wilson, Jr. relieved Rear Adm. Patrick A. Piercey as commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT), July 14, during a change of command ceremony aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) at Naval Station Norfolk.

As commander since October 2016, Piercey credited the headquarters team, the waterfront leadership and the 55,000 personnel across the force for adopting and implementing his command philosophy, "Sailors. Fit to Fight. Fight to Win," in order to succeed in all missions.

Working through a continuing resolution, the Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT) team tallied an impressive rate of repairing and modernizing ships on time and within tight budget constraints, and then successfully transitioning SURFLANT ships through pre-deployment, basic phase training.

This ruthless execution of generating ships ready for operational tasking yielded resounding results across the force, such as aboard the USS Mason (DDG 87), where the crew successfully defended their ship against cruise missile attacks; the USS Bataan (LHD 5) Amphibious Ready Group supporting maritime security operations in 5th and 6th Fleet; the Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush Strike Groups supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Iraq; and the independent deployed ships and forward-deployed Aegis destroyers supporting operations across the 5th and 6th Fleet.

Additionally, SURFLANT leadership implemented the "Surface Force Strategy: Return to Sea Control" in support of the Navy's "Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority." As part of this effort, SURFLANT spearheaded efforts focusing on further developing force toughness consistent with the Navy's core attributes of integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness.

"The current and future maritime environment is no longer one of uncontested seas," said Piercey. "We must be 'fit to fight' and be prepared to 'fight to win' in contested environments to establish control of the seas if needed. We must make sure we are tough and up to the task."

Wilson most recently served as director, Assessments Division (N81) on the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations staff. Just a year ago, he commanded Carrier Strike Group 10, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Carrier Strike Group, during a combat deployment that included Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Odyssey Resolve and Operation Oaken Steel in the Arabian Gulf and eastern Mediterranean Sea during the spring and summer of 2016.

"Along the waterfront and across the force, I am inspired by what I find the leaders, Sailors and civilians are achieving," said Wilson. "I am humbled and honored by this opportunity to lead once again, and I look forward to working side-by-side with you all as we expand and enhance the force in support of our Navy and nation."

With headquarters in Norfolk, COMNAVSURFLANT is one of the six U.S. naval type commands. It was established in 1975 as a consolidation of the cruiser-destroyer, amphibious, and service forces of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In addition to SURFLANT's nearly 70 ships, there are special mission and fleet support units that make up the more than 102 commands of the force. SURFLANT personnel are stationed stateside and forward deployed in Bahrain; Rota, Spain; and the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System in Deveselu, Romania. Additionally, surface forces provide a critical element to drug interdiction operations in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific.

The diversified and specialized force is an important instrument of national policy in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea, and the Arabian Gulf. "To go in harm's way" in defense of the principles of freedom and democracy has been the rally call of surface force Sailors for more than 200 years.

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