In front of more than 150 special guests, Sailors, friends and family, Capt. Daniel Gillen relieved Capt. Wyatt Chidester as commanding officer of the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) during a March 18 change of command ceremony at Naval Station Mayport.

"I am honored to have served as Hue City's 13th commanding officer; I have served our Navy for nearly 37 years and have not served with a crew with the professionalism and toughness that the "Golden Dragons" bring to work every day," said Chidester. "This crew is truly remarkable and represents, like all of our service men and women, the very best our country has to offer!"

Chidester assumed command in February 2014. He led the Golden Dragons through an emergent maintenance availability, two rigorous engineering training cycles to include two light-off assessments, two highly dynamic and compressed basic phase cycles, and several missions in support of Commander Task Force 80, all while serving as the air defense commander for both the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Carrier Strike Groups.

He will now report as chief of staff, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet in Mayport.

Gillen is a Lexington, Kentucky native who received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. His most recent tours include U.S. Central Command and as commanding officer of USS McFaul (DDG 74).

"I am excited to take command of this great ship," said Gillen. "Capt. Chidester superbly led this crew. I am thoroughly impressed with the ship and her Sailors."

Hue City is preparing for a 2016 deployment with the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Carrier Strike Group.

For more news from Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.