Friday, February 7, 2014

Change of command today in Hawaii





Captain Bill "Huggie" Dodge (Information Warfare Officer/1810) relieves Captain John MacMichael (Information Professional/1820) as Commanding Officer of NCTAMS Pacific in Hawaii.  Captain MacMichael is retiring.  CAPT John MacMichael, the son and grandson of Naval Officers, entered the Navy after graduating from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1988 with a degree in Economics.

Congratulations Captain Dodge.  Fair winds and following seas Captain MacMichael.

9 comments:

ComfortablyNumb said...

Who is the IW O-6 at PACFLT now?

Anonymous said...

From Wikipedia (a little out of date):

Prior to CAPT Dodge's Navy career he was an enlisted Marine. In 1989, CAPT Dodge graduated from the US Naval Academy with a degree in Political Science. CAPT Dodge earned his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1990 and reported to VA-128 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island to fly the A6-E Intruder.

While performing routine carrier operations off the coast of San Diego in March 1992, CAPT Dodge survived a refueling explosion in his aircraft on board the USS Ranger. Following months of hospitalization and rehabilitative therapy, CAPT Dodge rejoined VA-128 and completed his FRS training. He the served in VA-145 and VA-52 before joining VQ-2 in Rota, Spain, where he qualified as an EP-3E Senior Electronic Warfare Evaluator (SEVAL) and flew as Mission Commander. In July 1998, he reported to VAQ-129 at NAS Whidbey Island and completed training as a Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer (ECMO). He then went on to the Electronic Attack Weapons School (EAWS) where he served as the Communications Electronic Attack Phase Head from April 1999 to October 2001. While at EAWS, he earned his qualifications as Mission Commander and Prowler Tactics Instructor and flew 22 combat missions with VAQ-138 during Operation Allied Force. In October 2001, CAPT Dodge reported to VQ-1 for his Department Head tour. During his tour, he was assigned as Commander, Task Group 57.1 (VQ OIC) in Manama, Bahrain and led crews in combat over Afghanistan and Iraq as an EP-3E Mission Commander. In November 2003, he reported to US Naval Forces Central Command, Fifth Fleet as the Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance/Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Operations Officer in Manama, Bahrain. In January 2005, CAPT Dodge reported to the Pentagon to serve on the Chief of Naval Operation's Staff as the Electronic Warfare Officer in the Information Operations Directorate.

CAPT Dodge's unique career spans three different aircraft with combat time in all, including, Operations Southern Watch and Restore Hope in the A6-E Intruder; Operations Deliberate Force, Deliberate Guard, Joint Endeavor, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom in the EP-3E; and Operation Allied Force in the EA-6B Prowler; followed by designation as an Information Warfare Officer. He reported to NIOC Whidbey Island in June 2008 and is currently serving as the Commanding Officer.

Anonymous said...

Captain Dodge's son is a CT also.

TYLER W. DODGE graduated on June 21 from Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

Tyler is a 2012 graduate of Oak Harbor High School and the son of Captain and Mrs. Bill Dodge of Oak Harbor, and currently stationed at Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Tyler reported to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., where he will be a cryptologist/linguist.

Anonymous said...

I believe our former CO, CDR Dodge also had significant experience in Afghanistan.

Anonymous said...

CAPT MacMichael had a hugely successful tour here, and is much admired by the men and women of NCTAMS PAC, as well as all the senior communicators around the Pacific. Big shoes to fill (just like he filled the shoes of Janet Stewart and Pat Cole), but Huggy Dodge's tremendous reputation precedes him, and the team here is excited to get to know him. We're on a winning streak here with COs. Tough command, tough mission, world-class crew. IP, IW, doesn't matter - running this piece of the enterprise is about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Anonymous said...

God speed Captain Dodge.

Mike Lambert said...

By all accounts from Sailors in his command, Captain MacMichael was the "best kind of leader". He has been described as a real servant leader. Big shoes to fill but Captain Dodge is ready to step up and lead.

NAVYNEWS said...

By Lieutenant Junior Grade Marc Sunby, NCTAMS PAC Public Affairs

HONOLULU (NNS) -- Capt. William A. Dodge, Jr. relieved Capt. John L. MacMichael, Jr. as Commanding officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific (NCTAMS PAC) during the Command's 53rd change of command ceremony on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Wahiawa Annex, Feb. 7.

Capt. MacMichael, who assumed command of NCTAMS PAC in October of 2011, led 1,700 personnel in four subordinate commands.

"As I reflect on 27 months in Command at NCTAMS PAC and 25 years of Naval Service, I am amazed at the opportunities for leadership in the Navy," said MacMichael. "From ship handling during the first and second Persian Gulf Wars, flying in the E-2C Hawkeye over Afghanistan post 9-11, serving in Iraq, and becoming an Information Professional; I have been blessed with adventure coupled with technical and leadership challenges."

"I remain eye-wateringly humbled by the technical proficiency, skill, and sense of duty displayed by the Sailors, civilians and contractors I worked alongside during my tenure as Commanding Officer at NCTAMS PAC. I can think of no higher calling," MacMicheal added.

Capt. (ret.) John L. MacMichael, Sr., was the guest speaker and presented his son with the Legion of Merit for his exceptionally meritorious service from October of 2011 to February of 2014 and thanked him for his service to the Navy and to the United States.

"When I reported to my first ship in Pearl Harbor in 1965, my duties were directly related to maintaining communications with the NavCommSta at Wahiawa," said the senior MacMicheal.

"I am pleased to see that although the means and methods at NCTAMS PAC have changed, the communication's mission and tradition of superb support to the fleet and professionalism continues undiminished to this day. I take great pride in presenting this recognition of your naval service, and I know your grandfather shares that as well."

As an Information Professional officer, Capt. MacMichael held the following assignments: NIOC Norfolk; Combat Systems Officer, USS Nimitz (CVN-68); Chief Staff Officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT); Theater C4I Director, Iraq Joint Operating Area; and Director for the Office of Compliance and Assessment (OCA), Navy Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM).

Capt. MacMichael's military decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal (Strike/Flight), four Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and various other unit and service awards, including campaign medals.

Capt. Dodge has had a unique career that started with an enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1984.

After achieving the rank of Private First Class he accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and is a 1989 graduate from that institution.

He earned his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1990 and went on to serve in combat operations in three different aircraft before re-designating as an Information Warfare officer.

Capt. Dodge deployed to Afghanistan for a year-long Individual Augmentation Assignment for JIATF 435.

His other notable assignments include FIFTH Fleet staff; CNO's staff; Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet staff; and CO of Navy Information Operations Command Whidbey Island.

NCTAMS PAC's motto, "Connecting the Warfighter," rings true with its mission to provide the operational platform with information - secure and reliable, classified and unclassified voice, messaging, video and data telecommunications to U.S. Naval, Joint, Interagency, and Coalition operating forces worldwide.

Anonymous said...

CAPT Fannell thinks he is the O6 IW at COMPACFLT but CAPT Dave Carson takes over that job from CAPT Dodge.