Photo By Robin Holland | Captain Matthew S. Rick read more read more
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Taking the helm of a Navy command is always a huge undertaking for a commanding officer, and with the safety concerns of the current world pandemic, the job becomes even more difficult.
Capt. Matthew Rick was relieved as Commanding Officer, Training Support Center Hampton Roads (TSCHR) by Capt. Michael Gunther during a small change of command ceremony at NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex, TSCHR headquarters, Taylor Hall. Participants and attendees practiced social distancing. Welcome and farewell remarks were posted on the command Facebook page for family, friends and staff.
Gunther is TSCHR’s 9th Commanding Officer. He is a native of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a sonar technician (surface) (STG) via the Delayed Entry Program in 1983. After completing boot camp at Recruit Training Command San Diego, he attended STG "A" and "C" schools. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Grantham University and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
Prior to his commission as a limited duty officer in 1998, he served aboard USS Marvin Shields (FF 1066), USS Princeton (CG 59), and as the leading chief petty officer aboard USS Cowpens (CG 63).
Gunther’s first sea tour as a commissioned officer was aboard USS Klakring (FFG 42) as electronics readiness officer. He laterally transferred to the unrestricted line officer community in 2004, while serving as the weapons officer aboard USS Laboon (DDG 58). He also completed an assignment as weapons officer and combat systems officer aboard USS Gonzalez (DDG 66). He served as executive officer and then commanding officer of USS McFaul (DDG 74), and under his command, the crew completed an eight-month independent deployment to the U.S. 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets and earned Destroyer Squadron 26’s Battle Efficiency Award. Gunther completed eight deployments during 17 years of sea duty, serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets.
His shore and staff tours include service as recruiter in charge of Navy Recruiting District Boston; electronics and engineering department head for Special Boat Team 20; concept development, experimentation, and requirements department head at Naval Special Warfare Group 4; action officer for fleet readiness and training at U.S. Fleet Forces Command; sea combat commander training team lead at Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command; training, assessments and standards (N7) assistant chief of staff for Carrier Strike Group 4; and team chief with the joint training, deployable training division on the Joint Staff.
Gunther assumed his duties as commanding officer of Training Support Center Hampton Roads in June 2020.
His awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (three wards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (nine awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), and various other unit and service awards.
"I am truly humbled and honored to be afforded the opportunity to serve as the Training Support Center Hampton Roads, Commanding Officer,” said Gunther. “We have quite a journey ahead of us, I know these are unprecedented times for our country and for the Navy, but I cannot think of a better group of people I’d rather be with than this team. You have made a great impact across the Nation and the Navy. We are all in this together."
During his tour at TSCHR, Rick significantly improved communications within TSCHR staff, resulting in improved cooperation and solutions. He implemented aggressive process improvement in building management, student management, Navy military training, morale welfare and recreation and emergency management, raising command effectiveness and efficiency throughout a geographically dispersed command. These efforts led to the 2018 Naval Education and Training Command’s Training Support Excellence “White TS” Award, seven Functional Training Support Excellence Awards for 2017 and 2018 and three consecutive annual Retention Excellence Awards. Additionally, he led his training support team in the professional and personal development of nearly 220,000 military personnel from the U.S. and 20 Allied armed forces under training at the 30 Hampton Roads training commands. For his outstanding performance of duty, Rick was awarded the Legion of Merit (Gold Star in lieu of Second Award).
His next assignment will be Commanding Officer, Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit Dam Neck.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.19.2020 15:03 |
| Story ID: | 372495 |
| Location: | VA. BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 626 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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