Photo By Chief Petty Officer NELSON L DOROMAL | IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (May 21, 2021) Capt. Allen D. Adkins, the outgoing commodore of...... read more read more
IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (NNS) – Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 1 held a change of command ceremony onboard Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach, Calif., May 21, 2021.
Capt. Timothy Wilke relieved Capt. Allen D. Adkins as commodore of MESG-1.
Adkins previously served as the deputy commodore of MESG-1 and is scheduled to transfer to the University of Washington Naval Reserve Training Corps.
In his speech, Adkins expressed gratitude to his family and staff.
“Everyone did their part to make this force better and embraced the idea of teamwork,” said Adkins. “It was due to the hard work of the staff and squadrons of MESG-1. You made this happen, and I thank all of you. I put out simple guidance and priorities of how to man, train and equip our force, and you executed so that we could support NECC’s vision of clear, secure, build and protect.”
Under Adkins leadership, MESG-1 deployed three Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadrons to U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Southern Command areas of responsibility, and provided forces for numerous detachment-level missions.
Rear Adm. Joseph DiGuardo, the commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), delivered the ceremony’s keynote address.
“I’ve had the fortune of working with and around the great Sailors and warriors of MESG-1 and the whole Maritime Expeditionary Security Force throughout my career,” said DiGuardo. “Not only have I learned something from their warriors every day I’ve interacted with them, but I have seen all the capabilities that they bring to our Navy and our country in the protection of the Constitution and the execution of our mission.”
DiGuardo awarded Adkins a Legion of Merit for his exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service. Adkins attributed the award to the hard work and support of the MESG-1 Sailors and leaders.
Wilke is a native of the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Ill. He is a 1996 graduate of Marquette University and commissioned through their Navy ROTC program.
“As a team dedicated to each other and the mission we will ensure our operation. Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces will continue to be the NECC’s main battery on the secure and protect fronts,” said Wilke. “You all know that our adversaries have been accomplishing just as much during this period. Let them rest on their achievements. We will push forward with continued rigor, energy, and drive that you all have displayed under Capt. Adkins’s leadership. Our calling demands that we maintain that superior edge.”
The Maritime Expeditionary Security Force (MESF) is a core Navy capability which reinforces blue-water lethality by protecting port and harbor infrastructure, securing high value assets, and dominating in the littorals with maritime security operations.
NECC is responsible for organizing, manning, training, equipping, and sustaining the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force (NECF). The NECF possess specialized skills that enable distributed maritime operations. The Force accomplishes this by maintaining open and secure logistics routes at sea and ashore; repairing critical infrastructure, such as airfields and ports; and providing expeditionary base infrastructure in support of expeditionary medical facilities and other command-and-control nodes capable of enabling blue-water lethality and dominating in the littorals.
| Date Taken: | 05.24.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2021 17:16 |
| Story ID: | 397268 |
| Location: | IMPERIAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,399 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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