Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans took over as commander of the Naval Service Training Command on Tuesday during a traditional change of command ceremony.
Relieving Rear Adm. Richard A. Brown, Evans assumes the responsibility of overseeing the training of 98 percent of Navy recruits. The only exceptions are those trained at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., according to Navy Lt. Sean Brophy.
“This is probably the most humbling and important moment in my Navy career to be selected to lead and be responsible for the initial training of nearly everyone enlisting,” Evans said after the ceremony in the USS White Hat, located in the Training Support Center at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago.
Evans comes to Great Lakes following an assignment as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy in Washington, D.C.
Among various accomplishments, Evans has completed numerous deployments to the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic and Wester Pacific, earning the Battle Excellence Award after each assignment, according to a Navy press release.
“I pledge to you my own commitment, my own dedication to lead and support you and to continue to accomplish the mission of ensuring every sailor that enters the fleet has a firm foundation that allows him or her to be successful in our United States Navy,” Evans said, directing his pledge to Great Lakes training command staff.
During the ceremony, Evans told the audience he was fortunate and humbled to receive the opportunity.
“It’s no secret in the flag community that here resides the best first flag officer job in the United States Navy,” he said.
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Evans thanked his wife and two daughters in the audience for being his biggest cheering section yet his harshest critics. He also thanked Brown for the work he has done at training command since assuming the position last June.
“Rich, you gave me a great turnover,” Evans said. “You’ve led and built a tremendous team over the last year, and I couldn’t have chosen a finer officer to relieve.”
Brown will report to Bremerton, Wash., the home port of USS Nimitz, where he will become the commander of Carrier Strike Group Eleven.
At Tuesday’s ceremony, Brown received a Legion of Merit for his accomplishments as commander.
“Under the guiding hand of Rear Adm. Brown, the results have been nothing short of spectacular,” said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander of the Naval Education and Training Command. “He provided expert direction and guidance to more than 1,850 staff members as they delivered initial accession training for 98 percent of the people entering today’s Navy.”
Brown said although he could not possibly thank everyone, he wanted them all to know he appreciates all their hard work over the past year.
“Stephen, you have an absolutely great team here, and they will do anything and everything you ask of them,” Brown said. “So enjoy this tour; it will not disappoint you. It will never get better than this.”
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