Military Sealift Command’s San Diego-based office, MSC Pacific, changed leadership today as Capt. Sylvester Moore assumed command from Capt. Jerome F. Hamel. The ceremony was held aboard fleet replenishment oiler USNS Yukon at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego.
MSCPAC is responsible for MSC ships operating in the Eastern Pacific and is dual-hatted as Commander, Task Force 33, directing the underway delivery of fuel, provisions, ordnance and towing services to Navy combatants in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility.
Moore comes to MSCPAC from the Board of Inspection and Survey where he served as assistant deputy chief of staff. “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve our Navy at MSC and to work alongside the professionals within the MSC organization, especially our team at MSCPAC,” said Moore.
Moore’s sea tours include USS Okinawa, USS Belleau Wood, USS Independence, USS Juneau, USS Dubuque and USS Harry S. Truman. His shore tours include officer-in-charge at Port Operations Little Creek; executive officer of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and commanding officer of Naval Brig Norfolk. Moore has deployed in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Rear Adm. Brian LaRoche, deputy commander, Military Sealift Command, served as guest speaker for the change of command ceremony and presented Hamel with the Legion of Merit for his outstanding performance as commander of MSCPAC.
Since assuming command of MSCPAC in May 2009, Hamel has overseen a wide range of operations and exercises, including two Operation Deep Freeze resupply missions to Antarctica, the deployment of hospital ship USNS Mercy on the 2010 Pacific Partnership humanitarian assistance mission and the 2010 Rim of the Pacific exercise. Hamel will report to Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., where he will serve as Chief of Staff. “It was an honor to serve with the professional mariners of MSC,” Hamel said at the ceremony. “Day and night, our mariners delivered to the sailors of 3rd Fleet and our tug and salvage crews supported tow, dive and deep ocean recovery operations. Ashore, at MSCPAC, it was a pleasure to work with the sealift team.”
MSCPAC is one of five worldwide operational commands that are part of the Navy's Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Washington, D.C. MSC operates approximately 110 non-combatant, merchant mariner-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.