Photo By Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten | 230406-N-GR655-0162 GROTON, Connecticut (April 6, 2023) – Capt. Jason Grizzle,...... read more read more
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Groton, Connecticut – Capt. John Stafford turned command of Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 over to Capt. Jason Grizzle in a traditional change of command ceremony held Thursday, April 6, pierside aboard the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS North Dakota (SSN 784) at Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) New London in Groton, Connecticut.
The guest speaker at the event was Rear Adm. Leonard C. “Butch” Dollaga, the Navy’s Chief of Legislative Affairs and former commander of the Groton-based Submarine Squadron 12 and Undersea Warfighting Development Center.
“American naval primacy is essential today to maintaining a rules-based world order,” said Dollaga. “For more than 120 years, our silent service submarine force has enabled our nation to sleep peacefully at night, knowing that beneath the seas, we have the watch and are ready and waiting, if called upon, to defend our way of life.
“Yet even with all the remarkable technology we have onboard our submarines, the most valuable asset of our submarine force remains our people,” he continued. “Today and every day, submarines are deployed around the globe because of the work being done here to man, train and equip the submarines attached to Squadron 4.”
SUBRON 4 is one of the major commands in the Submarine Capital of the World, currently overseeing nine submarines and crews, including three pre-commissioning units working with the shipbuilders at General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat shipyard to build and deliver additional fast-attack submarines to the fleet.
“It has been my great honor to serve as the Commodore of Submarine Squadron 4. We have the finest submarines and crews in the world here in the Submarine Capital,” said Stafford. “I have been blessed with an exceptional cadre of commanding officers, a loyal and dedicated staff, and a host of exceptional organizations that build and support submarines across the waterfront. The sense of purpose on SUBASE and at Electric Boat creates a team that is second to none in service to the Navy, the nation, and its citizens.”
Stafford, a native of Staten Island, New York, is a 1997 graduate of the Naval Academy. His previous sea tours include command of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Cheyenne (SSN 773), as well as tours aboard USS Dallas (SSN 700) and USS Topeka (SSN 754), and the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739).
“I am most proud of the enduring resiliency of our families whose sacrifices enable our operations, deployments, and arduous maintenance periods,” Stafford continued. “Their commitment is exemplary of our core values and gives meaning to our shared service. Personally, I want to thank my family for their continuing service, dedication, and love. I offer a hardy ‘Welcome Aboard!’ to Capt. Grizzle. He will lead this diverse team to even greater success in the challenges to come. We are blessed to have an officer of his caliber joining the team.”
With his tour as commander of SUBRON 4 complete, Stafford will move on to serve as the chief of staff and deputy commander for Submarine Force Atlantic (SUBLANT) in Norfolk, Virginia.
Grizzle previously served as commanding officer of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Providence (SSN 719), then-homeported in Groton, and as a deputy commander for SUBRON 4.
“I’m excited to be back at Squadron 4 and back in Submarine Capital of the World,” said Grizzle, a native of Chickasha, Oklahoma. “The work our submariners do here is critically important to our national defense, and I’m extremely fortunate to be joining a team with so many talented, professional and innovative people.
“Capt. Stafford is an extraordinary leader who has prepared these submarines and their crews to execute any mission our nation requires,” he continued. “The unmatched stealth and firepower along this waterfront – combined with the resourcefulness, dedication and tactical excellence of our people – gives me great confidence in our ability to respond to any challenge. I look forward to doing my part to build upon Capt. Stafford’s success here and keep the submarines of Squadron 4 at the forefront of our nation’s defense.”
Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or response to regional crises.
SUBRON 4’s mission is to provide attack submarines that are ready, willing, and able to meet the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe. It is one of two SUBRONs based out of SUBASE New London, alongside Submarine Squadron 12, commanded by Capt. Thomas O’Donnell.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.06.2023 13:03 |
| Story ID: | 442164 |
| Location: | GROTON, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 1,280 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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