Photo By Ensign Paula Hackbart | Commander, Naval Surface Group, Middle Pacific (CNSGMP) Change of Command ceremony...... read more read more
PEARL HARBOR— Commander, Naval Surface Group, Middle Pacific (CNSGMP) held its Change of Command ceremony on Thursday, October 24th, 2024 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), Hawaiʻi where Capt. Adam Cheatham relieved Capt. Joe Ring as Commander.
Ring has served the U.S. Navy for more than 29 years across four countries and operated extensively at sea in every combatant command area of responsibility. His sea duty assignments include; Auxiliaries Officer and Damage Control Assistant aboard USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS Ogden (LPD 5), Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer aboard USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), Executive Officer abaord USS Carney (DDG 64), Chief Staff Officer for Commander, Destroyer Squadron Two Four, Commanding Officer aboard USS Mustin (DDG 89), Commanding Officer aboard USS Hopper (DDG 70), and Commander, Destroyer Squadron Three One (DESRON 31).
Throughout his career, Ring has earned the following decorations; the Royal Australian Navy Chief of Navy Gold Medal, Peruvian Naval Medal of Honor for Merit, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and various other personal, campaign and unit awards including the Battle “E” Excellence Award. Ring also is a very proud U.S. Navy Honorary Chief Petty Officer and Honorary Acoustic Intelligence Specialist.
Since Ring took command of CNSGMP in June 2022, he spearheaded efforts to maximize manning, training and equipping of eight Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDGs), two guided-missile cruisers (CGs), and DESRON 31. He also promoted innovation and warfighting throughout the Indo-Pacific by his unparalleled coordination with Commander, Naval Surface Force, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Third Fleet (C3F), Missile Defense Agency, Barking Sands Pacific Range Missile Facility, Surface and Mine Warfare Development Center and many more. Ring also focused on building relations with the local community and Hawaiʻi lawmakers to foster a healthy partnership between the U.S. Navy and the State of Hawaiʻi.
“Capt. Cheatham, I had the privilege of picking my relief and when I looked around the Pacific, there was only one warrior, one shipmate, one sailor that I would trust with this task group (CNSGMP) and that’s you,” remarked Ring. “Take good care of these shipmates. Nada (Capt. Ring’s wife) and I will be cheering you on.”
Cheatham graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 1997. He attended Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida and received his commission in 1998. He also attended the University of Maryland, University College and graduated in 2005 with a Master of Business Administration.
Cheatham served aboard USS Nassau (LHA 4), USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Gary (FFG 51), and USS Independence (LCS 2). He commanded USS Stout (DDG 55) after first serving as the executive officer where he conducted a ballistic missile defense deployment to Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet and Commander, U.S. Six Fleet areas of responsibility as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.
His last sea tour was a 34-month assignment as the commanding officer of USS Shiloh (CG 67), as the ballistic missile defense and integrated air and missile defense commander for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.
Ashore, Cheatham served as a Training Liaison Officer assigned to Afloat Training Group Norfolk. His subsequent shore assignments have included tours on the Chief of Naval Operations staff for Director, Assessment Division (OPNAV N81) as the Mine Warfare and Defensive Surface Warfare Section Head; the Chief of Staff of the Army Strategic Studies Group as a Junior Fellow; the Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy; and the Director, Warfighter Strategic Integration and the Chief of Staff, both at Sea-Based Weapon Systems, Missile Defense Agency.
Cheatham is a joint qualified officer. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal, and various unit and service awards.
“Capt. Ring, the work you’ve done building up this command is absolutely eye watering. It is my goal to ensure that we continue to set the standard for service and advocacy for all ships in this Hawaiʻi operating area,” emphasized Cheatham.
Rear Adm. Theodore “Ted” P.S. LeClair, deputy commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and director, Task Force Littoral Combat Ship, served as the guest speaker for the change of command ceremony.
“The single accountable officer was not meant to be a hammer, but a coalition builder, a resource manager, determining when and where our resources would go, a strong and focused and experienced voice keeping various silos and equities aligned to the customer – the U.S. Navy Sailor,” said LeClair “Capt. Ring, you’ve done exactly that and Capt. Cheatham, you are uniquely skilled and qualified to continue this task.”
CNSGMP/Commander Task Group 30.5 is a dual-hatted Echelon IV command responsible to CNSP for the manning, training, and equipping of all surface combatant ships homeported at JBPHH, as well as to C3F for training, exercises, and operations as assigned with the U.S. Pacific Fleet area of responsibility. The commander serves as the area commander for major casualty incident response within the islands of Hawaiʻi as the supported commander responsible for the coordination and response to major fires, flooding, or other casualties requiring integrated response action.
To view photos of the Change of Command ceremony, please visit: https://dvidshub.net/r/kzz2ho.
| Date Taken: | 10.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.25.2024 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 483962 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 256 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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