NAPLES, Italy (USTCNS) --- Military Sealift Command Office Northern Europe, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, held a change of command ceremony Thursday.

Navy Lt.Cdr. Gwynn Griffin relieved Lt.Cdr. Cynthia Womble, as commanding officer.

Navy Capt. Robert T. Collins, commander, Military Sealift Command, Europe, MSCO NOREUR's parent command based in Naples, Italy, was the ceremony's principal speaker.

MSCO NOREUR manages Military Sealift Command ship operations in an area of responsibility spanning from southern France to the northern reaches of Norway-operating at key European ports such as Antwerp, Belgium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Bremerhaven, Germany.

The command also works closely with Military Traffic Management Command, also under U.S. Transportation Command.

MSCO NOREUR managed the seaborne deployment of equipment, ordnance, and other supplies supporting vital operations, such as Operation Noble Anvil, the air strikes against Yugoslavia, and equipment rotations into Bosnia and Herzegovina supporting SFOR forces.

In June 1999, two of MSC's largest ships-USNS Soderman and USNS Bob Hope-together almost 2,000 feet in length- moved the majority of U.S. Army equipment into the U.S.-controlled sector of Kosovo. For this, MSCO NOREUR received the Navy Unit Commendation. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND - EUROPE PUBLIC AFFAIRS).