The Undersea Warfighting Development Center (UWDC) held a change of command ceremony at the Submarine Force Library and Museum, aboard the historic ship Nautilus, on Sept. 21 at 10:00 a.m.

Rear Adm. James Pitts relieved Rear Adm. Jeffrey Trussler as UWDC Commander.

Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, Vice Adm. Joseph Tofalo served as the ceremony's guest speaker.

Trussler didn't speak much about himself at the ceremony, instead he focused on how UWDC was created and the people who built it into what it is today. He thanked former shipmates to for their support, but saved the highest praise for the support he received from his family.

Trussler closed his speech by saying, "With that I'll now read my orders. Time to turn over and let Admiral Pitts take the team to the next level."

Pitts, like Trussler, credited and success in his career to the support of past leaders, shipmates and family.

"Getting to this leadership position and opportunity would not have been possible had I not had the blessing of working with exceptional submarine crews and teammates at every single level," said Pitts. "I've been blessed to have tremendous petty officers and chiefs at every one of my previous commands and they are the ones who taught me the blocking and tackling of submarine warfare and how to be an effective leader at every level of development." Pitts went on to say, "Just as important as the crews, of course, are the command role models that I was blessed to have teaching me how to handle that charge of command. A few of those role models are in the audience today and I would definitely not be here had it not been for their mentorship training and example."

Trussler will go on to serve as OPNAV N3/N5 Director, Future Plans for the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.

Pitts previously served on the OPNAV Staff as the Planning, Programming and Development Branch head and executive assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Systems (N9).

The UWDC was established on Sept. 1, 2015 with the primary mission to lead undersea superiority for the Navy by marshaling the resources, capabilities, and efforts of all organizations to provide world class support to customers from platform to fleet commander. Specifically, the UWDC develops the doctrine, concepts of operations, tactics, techniques and procedures for undersea warfare, assesses undersea warfare performance and warfighting readiness of the fleet, provides training for undersea platforms, carrier strike groups and theater anti-submarine warfare commanders, and advances undersea capabilities, wholeness and synchronization.


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