Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Chris Williamson | 190412-N-JH293-1228 ST. LOUIS (April 12, 2019) Cmdr. Nathan Rockholm, outgoing...... read more read more
ST. LOUIS -- Navy Recruiting District (NRD) St. Louis held a change of command and retirement ceremony at Soldier’s Memorial Military Museum in downtown St. Louis, April 12, 2019.
During the ceremony, Cmdr. Bradley Whittington relieved Cmdr. Nathan Rockholm as NRD St. Louis’ commanding officer.
Capt. Glen O’Loughlin, commodore of Navy Recruiting Region West, served as the presiding officer and gave words of thanks to the outgoing commanding officer.
“Commander Rockholm, you will be sorely missed,” said O’Loughlin. “During your time at NRD St. Louis, you have made positive changes which directly impacted the readiness and operational effectiveness of our Navy. Know that you leave behind a tremendous legacy in the people you led, the relationships you established, and the goals you set and achieved.”
During Rockholm’s tenure at NRD St. Louis, the command successfully contracted 4,521 active-duty and reserve personnel. With those numbers in mind, Rockholm said he looks forward to seeing NRD St. Louis become the number one recruiting force of Commander, Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC).
“Team NRD St. Louis, you will continue being a tight, cohesive unit,” said Rockholm. “You will be amazed at what you will accomplish and what kind of standard you will set for the rest of CNRC to follow. I can’t tell you how much I am going to miss you. I can’t tell you how proud I am that you allowed me to be a part of your team. And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the sacrifices you and your families continue to make for this country.”
Immediately following the ceremony, Rockholm retired after 20 years of naval service, and he thanked the command for all of their hard work and support during his last tour of duty.
“I have done everything I can to serve my country and represent my friends and family honorably,” said Rockholm. “It is because of you that I have made it to this point. I hope I have made you all proud. And I hope I have made a positive impact on an organization that I have loved more than I ever thought I could.”
After thanking his family, friends and guests in attendance, Rockholm added that the command was in great hands moving forward with Whittington.
Whittington, who served as the executive officer of NRD St. Louis, said that the command will continue to build on the strong sense of teamwork and leadership instilled under the guidance of Rockholm.
“This command has built up a foundation of trust and cohesion under Commander Rockholm, which are the key ingredients for any successful team,” said Whittington. “I believe our top-level performance and success will only continue, because we know how to accomplish the mission, and we all enjoy the results of being on a winning team.”
The oncoming commanding officer also said he had no doubt the command was ready to meet the challenges of recruiting in today's highly technological and strategic environment.
“We have recruiters with the knowledge, skill and motivation to seek out and engage with the best and brightest people with the capability and motivation to join a technologically advanced Navy,” said Whittington. “Each one of our Sailors and civilians works hard to fulfill the Navy's recruiting mission, and they have seen their hard work pay off supremely. And I am proud to serve on a team that has built such strong relationships within the local community. We as a team provide a shining example of the Navy's best and brightest, and we will continue to perform at a high level to accomplish our mission.”
NRD St. Louis' area of responsibility covers more than 200,000 square miles, encompassing Missouri, Kansas, central and southern Illinois, and a portion of Kentucky. More than 200 officers, enlisted personnel and civilian staff operate 30 recruiting stations, two Navy Officer Recruiting Stations and the headquarters in St. Louis. Additionally, two Military Entrance Processing Stations; one at the headquarters in St. Louis and one in Kansas City, Mo., handle applicants' processing, classification, and physical examinations.
CNRC consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions, 18 Navy Recruiting Districts and eight Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,300 recruiting stations across the world. Their combined goal is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Navy Recruiting District St. Louis, visit www.navy.mil/local/nrdsl/ or www.facebook.com/nrdstlouis.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2019 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 317874 |
| Location: | ST. LOUIS, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 249 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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