Military Sealift Command welcomes new commander
Air Force Gen. Charles T. Robertson Jr. commander in chief, U.S. Transportation Command, will be the principal speaker, and Adm. William J. Fallon, vice chief of naval operations, will deliver remarks.
As the new commander of Military Sealift Command, Brewer will be responsible for a fleet of more than 110 ships daily around the world. MSC ships provide critical food, fuel and supplies to Navy ships underway, keeping the fleet at sea and mission ready. MSC ships also perform myriad special missions for the Department of Defense, from surveying the world's oceans to supporting counter drug operations to prepositioning military equipment at sea near potential hotspots around the globe. Finally, MSC ships provide fast sealift of equipment and supplies for the Department of Defense both in peacetime and in war.
Holder has been the commander of Military Sealift Command since Feb. 1999. He was promoted to his current rank in March 2000. Under his guidance many new projects were implemented at MSC-ranging from the new commercial, off-the-shelf financial management system, which affected every office and person, to the institution of the four-month-long shipboard tour for MSC's civil service mariners, almost half the command's personnel.
"Maritime solutions that were already in progress when I assumed command have advanced significantly," said Holder. "The acquisition of large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships, or LMSRs, is well along now, providing the Army with much needed prepositioning and surge sealift capacity."
Nine LMSRs entered the MSC inventory in the past 30 months. Only three of a total of 20 has not yet been delivered.
February 2000 marked the historic deployment of an MSC combat stores ship with an embarked commercial helicopter. These helicopters are providing vertical replenishment services from MSC combat stores ships to the Navy fleet in the Mediterranean.
"Some of the great things that have taken place I inherited from previous commanders, and some I had the honor of being a part of from their beginnings," said Holder. "But all of the initiatives are a tribute to the hard work of the MSC team."
In September, Holder will report to his new assignment as the director for logistics on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.
Brewer comes to MSC from Pensacola, Fla., where he reported as the vice-chief of naval education and training in March 1999. In December 1993, he was promoted to rear admiral (lower half). His initial tour as flag officer was as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Marianas/Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command Representative Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands/Federated States of Micronesia/Republic of Palau. His next assignment was as the commander of Amphibious Group Three, where he was promoted to rear admiral (upper half) in July 1997.
Follow Us On:
