NWS Earle Welcomes New Commander

Tucked behind the trees that line its borders Naval Weapons Station Earle came alive wth sailors in crisp white uniforms to welcome the base’s newest commanding officer last week.

During the change of command ceremony Capt. Richard C. Valentine relieved Captain David “Fuzz” Harrison, who will return to the Pentagon after three years of leading the local base.

Valentine is no stranger to Earle having served as Executive Officer from 2006 to 2008. He returns to the Monmouth County base from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, having recently served as ASsistant Chief of Staff, US Naval Forces Europe-Africa/US Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy.

The ceremony was also attended by Retired Vice Admiral Paul G. Gaffney who recently retired as President of Monmouth University and Rear Admiral Townsend G. “Tim Alexander, Commander Navy Mid-Atlantic Region. During the event the accomplishments of Capt. Harrison during his tenure at Earle as well as the achievements prior to and since leaving the base were lauded by the speakers in front of family, friends, fellow service members and local dignitaries.

One of the highlights for Capt. Harrison during his final address to the sailors and those in attendance was the base’s reaction following Hurricane Sandy.

Calling it the only ordinance commitment the base could not fulfill during his tenure, Harrison said a ship was scheduled to come into port the same day as Sandy and added with a laugh, “Sandy won.”

Like much of the surrounding area Earle suffered damage from the storm especially with trees blocking the roads and railways but Harrison said with some assistance they were able to once again service incoming ships just six days after Sandy blew through. “This base and this team has a lot of character, he said of the people who helped get the pier back online following the storm.

Following the ceremony Gaffney said he had been at “hundreds,” of similar events but said he was glad to be there to see Capt. Harrison off. “It’s a pretty special thing in the Navy. It’s the absolute transfer of responsibility at a single instant in time and it’s really fantastic.”

Admiral Alexander also gave credit to Harrison who will make the move back down to northern Virginia. “Capt. Harrison has done a fantastic. job. This is a difficult job and he has done a superb job across the board,” he said. He went on to say, “Every challenge that came his way he tackled and knocked the ball out of the park. Recovering from Hurricane Sandy was no small challenge for anybody in this area and he’s done a great job.”

Friday’s ceremony also ended on a Sandy related not as Ed Segall, owner of the Sea Gulls’ Nest in Sandy Hook led the crowd in a rousing rendition of God Bless America. It is a tradition that Segall started at this restaurant at sunset that often included honor guards from the base before it was damaged by the powerful storm.

Capt. Valentine becomes the 26th commanding officer since Earle was founded in December of 1943.