New Commander at USS Porter

US Naval Station Norfolk hosted a change of command ceremony for guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) July 11.

Cmdr. Blair Guy relieved Cmdr. Dave Richardson as commanding officer. Capt.

A 1995 Naval Academy graduate, Richardson served as Porter’s 10th commanding officer for nearly two years. Assuming command while the ship was deployed in the 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility, his tour was highlighted by the successful completion of a yearlong maintenance availability in the dry dock. During this shipyard period, the Arleigh Burke class destroyer received significant repairs and upgrades, including the ballistic missile defense installation.

Crew accomplishments under Richardson’s command included two consecutive awards of the “Green H” for health and wellness, the 2014 Hampton Roads Volunteer Achievement Award, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Richardson will next serve as a permanent military professor in the Political Science Department at the Naval Academy.

Previously Porter’s executive officer, Guy enlisted in the Navy in 1991 as a nuclear machinists mate and was subsequently selected for the nuclear enlisted commissioning program. A graduate of Auburn University, his previous tours at sea include service on board USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS George Washington (CVN 73) and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). Ashore, Guy served in the strategy and policy branch of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and as Joint Experimentation Branch Chief at U.S. European Command.

Porter is on track to shift homeports next year to Rota, joining the BMD destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Ross (DDG 71).

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Press Release, July 14, 2014; Image: Wikimedia