Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Vance Hand | Cmdr. Matthew Knuth, left, the oncoming commanding officer of the Independence-variant...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO -- Cmdr. Robert Burke was relieved by Cmdr. Matthew Knuth as commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) during a change of command and retirement ceremony held at the Austal USA waterfront ship repair facility, May 9. Capt. Douglas Meagher, commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One (LCSRON 1), was the presiding officer and guest speaker at the ceremony.
Burke’s accomplishments during his time in command include training 11 deploying crews, the creation of a successful crew fatigue study, and facilitation of a myriad of training events ranging from in port basic phase training to Integrated and Advanced Phase embarkations. He also contributed to the development and testing of the next generation Mine Warfare Mission Package. His team routinely completed certifications ahead of schedule, well above the fleet average including completion of the first ever Engineering Certification Validation in the ship class.
“Rob and Matt, you are both intimately aware that a commanding officer is responsible for all the occurs onboard the ship. You have both heard me say this, but it warrants repeating time and time again,” said Meagher. “Rob mastered the most difficult command afloat position across our squadron. He facilitated training and certification for nearly every deployed littoral combat ship crew – ensuring that hundreds of perfectly imperfect Sailors were fostered into a team whose value became far greater than the sum of its parts.”
During the ceremony, Burke was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his superior accomplishments. After being formally relieved of command, a retirement ceremony was held in honor of Burke’s 23 years of faithful service.
“Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of serving in a variety of vessels that have tested my mettle, shaped my leadership style, and deepened my love for the sea. The challenges faced, the missions executed, and the camaraderie shared as crews have been nothing sort of remarkable,” said Burke. “I will close with a highlight on the excitement portion of my emotions today. I am excited to move forward with the next stage of my journey and for Cincinnati to transition to a deploying crew. And when you sail over the horizon, any potential adversary should dread standing in your way.”
Burke is a native of Tucson, Ariz., graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 2003 and earned a commission through Officer Candidate School. He holds a Master of Engineering Management degree from Old Dominion University.
Cincinnati is homeported in San Diego as a part of LCSRON 1. Littoral combat ships are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century threats. LCS integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.
For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/.
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| Date Taken: | 05.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2024 17:40 |
| Story ID: | 471373 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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