USS Tulsa (LCS 16) Blue Crew Conducts Change of Command

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Vance Hand | Cmdr. Christopher Thomas, center, commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) Blue crew, is piped ashore during a change of command ceremony held on the ship’s flight deck, March 8. Littoral Combat Ships are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Vance Hand)  

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

03.08.2024

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Vance Hand 

Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1

SAN DIEGO -- Cmdr. Andrew Greenlees was relieved by Cmdr. Christopher Thomas as commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) Blue crew during a ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, March 8. Capt. Douglas Meagher,

commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 3 (LCSRON 3), was the presiding officer and guest speaker at the ceremony.

During Greenlees’ 20 months of command, Tulsa was the first LCS to replace a diesel generator while in drydock, and completed all major certifications and inspections with a 100% pass rate with zero major safety incidents or injuries.

Additionally, Greenlees’ led Tulsa’s repairs to support the transition to Fleet Operations following an 18-month maintenance period, as well as prepared Tulsa to receive the Mine Countermeasure Mission Package in preparation for future operations at sea.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to command such a wonderful crew,” said Greenlees. “I appreciate everyone coming out today.”

Greenlees was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his superior accomplishments, and will report to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon for his next tour of duty.

“Drew, you kept the ship at the center of the universe, as all good commanding officers do. What sets your performance apart, however, was that you were able to do this while carrying for your shipmates who breath life into this vessel of war,” said Meagher. “Taking

care of people while motivating them to do what is hard, is precisely what our best officers do, and you set a very high bar.”

A time-honored naval tradition, the ceremony allows the crew to formally acknowledge the passing of command from the current commanding officer to the next.

“I am inspired by what the crew has achieved over the past year and humbled to be your commanding officer,” said Thomas. “It is truly an exciting time to be a part of the LCS community – while there are challenges ahead, as there always have been and always will

be, I believe that this is the right team at the right time to get past those hurdles.”

A native of Parsippany, N.J., Cmdr. Andrew Greenlees graduated from The Citadel and commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2004. Additionally, he holds a Master’s of Science degree in Information Systems and Operations from the

Naval Postgraduate School.

Tulsa is homeported in San Diego as a part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1 littoral combat ships are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century threats. LCS

integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/.

• Date Taken: 03.08.2024
• Date Posted: 03.11.2024 11:48
• Story ID: 465791
• Location: NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, CA, US