Service members assigned to Commander, Naval Expeditionary Task Force Europe and Africa (CTF 68) welcomed a new commodore during a change of command ceremony at the Marine Corps Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Company Europe compound aboard Naval Station Rota, March 29.

Capt. Joseph Polanin was relieved by Capt. Leonard Lyon, while Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Vice Adm. James Foggo III, presided over the ceremony.

"Joe, you and your team have done a phenomenal job," said Foggo. "He oversaw engineering and construction efforts in support of named operations and mission-critical projects. He has been an amazing Task Force 68 commander. He fully immersed himself in this theater and for 20 months, he planned and executed across the full range of military operations and a plethora of environments. CTF 68 flawlessly conducted humanitarian assistance projects, Ebola relief, built infrastructure for the Aegis ashore site and supported special operations forces. Joe, you have made a positive, lasting impact on our area of operations and for these reasons and more, you'll be greatly missed."

Polanin led CTF 68, which is comprised of approximately 1,100 Sailors and Marines from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 8, numerous naval mobile construction battalions, FAST Company Europe, Mobile Expeditionary Security Squadron 3 and Underwater Construction Team 1, since September 2014.

"Task Force 68, destiny beckons you," said Polanin. "Today is your day; your day to manufacture excellence and achieve our vision. It's not the actions alone, but the outcome those actions generate with other military forces and alongside our allies and partners. We measure success through our will to succeed, the content of our character, and how our integrity defines our destiny. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. You have a destiny and some choose to follow it. Choose well, lead boldly and allow yourselves to be great."

Lyon became the seventh commodore in CTF 68's history.

CTF 68 conducts explosive ordnance disposal operations, naval construction, expeditionary security and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil