Trident Training Facility Bangor Welcomes New Commanding Officer

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Amanda Gray | BANGOR, Wash. (Dec. 13, 2018) Capt. Aaron Thieme, commanding officer of the Submarine Learning Center, presents an end of tour award to Capt. John Fancher during a change of command ceremony for Trident Training Facility, Bangor. Capt. Jeffrey Smith, from Independence, Kentucky, relieved Fancher, from Hammond, Indiana, during the ceremony held in the Briggs Auditorium. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda R. Gray/Released)  

BANGOR, WA, UNITED STATES

12.13.2018

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Amanda Gray 

Commander, Submarine Group Nine   

BANGOR, Wash. (Dec. 13, 2018) - Trident Training Facility (TTF), Bangor, held a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Dec. 9.

Capt. Jeffrey Smith, from Independence, Kentucky, relived Capt. John Fancher, from Hammond, Indiana, and assumed the duties and responsibilities of commanding officer for TTF during the ceremony, held in the Briggs Auditorium.

"Trident Training Facility, thank you for a wonderful tour," said Fancher. "It has been my distinct honor to lead this group of exceptionally competent and energetic staff of trainers. The team here at TTF does such an excellent job at keeping the main thing the main thing and training the fleet and maintaining the standard."

Fancher assumed command of TTF on Dec. 9, 2016. During his leadership, the 195 TTF instructors trained 212,672 students from five Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System vessels, Naval Ocean Processing Facility, Whidbey Island, three aircraft carriers (CVN), and 26 submarine crews consisting of ballistic-missile (SSBN), guided-missile (SSGN) and fast-attack (SSN) platforms. Under his guidance, an additional tactics laboratory was added to the training inventory and improvements to pre-existing trainers were made to better support submarine crew training and certification. In addition, the new Strategic Weapons Interactive Trainer (SWIT) was opened, which greatly reduced the training load on the existing Missile Control Center trainer.

"TTF, I will enjoy watching and hearing about your continued success in the future from next door at Submarine Group 9," said Fancher. "I know that TTF will continue its long legacy of superior support and training to the Pacific Northwest submarine and carrier fleet under the able leadership of Capt. Smith."

Fancher's next duty station will be Commander, Submarine Group 9, where he will serve as Chief of Staff.

Smith comes to TTF from the Pentagon, where he served as on the staff of the Executive Director, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Manpower Personnel Training and Education.

"I was proud to be selected as the next commanding officer of Trident Training Facility, Bangor, and I am humbled by the talent and professionalism of the Sailors who make up this fine command," said Smith. "My commitment to you is that, every day, I will bring you my best and in return I will expect your best. Never forget that we, as the trainers, set the standard for every student that walks through our doors and it is our duty to make sure that every class we teach, training session we give, and skill we help our students master, is taught to both the exacting standards of our profession and the best limits of ourselves."

Trident Training Facility Bangor provides the training to officer and enlisted personnel required to build competence and proficiency in operating and maintaining SSBN, SSGN, SSN and CVN systems and equipment.

• Date Taken: 12.13.2018
• Date Posted: 12.13.2018 16:19
• Story ID: 303499
• Location: BANGOR, WA, US
• Hometown: HAMMOND, IN, US
• Hometown: INDEPENDENCE, KY, US