KITTERY, Maine – Captain Jason Deichler relieved Daniel Reiss as Commodore of Commander, Submarine Squadron (COMSUBRON) Two in a traditional change of command ceremony held Friday, July 12, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
Adm. Robert Gaucher presided over the ceremony as he praised Reiss for being the squadron’s first commodore and said, “I’m going to tell you what it meant to stand up this squadron. We did not have a squadron here at Portsmouth, we only had a representative. It was important to meet the Chief of Naval Operations’ goals and make sure we were really pressing both in the maintenance and, more importantly, the readiness of the crew that the second that submarine is available the crew is ready to go out and operate for our country’s needs. Captain Reiss did a phenomenal job at that.”
Reiss praised his staff, submarine commanding officers, and their crews during his remarks stating, “Today I am filled with gratitude. It is an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and indebtedness to many of you here for your support, your support to Submarine Squadron Two, support to our boats, their crews, and their families; and support to me and my family.”
Reiss, a Massachusetts native and graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will be transferring to Joint Force Command Naples, Italy. His previous submarine tours include USS Virginia (SSN 774), USS Mississippi (SSN 782), and USS New Mexico (SSN 779). He is also a graduate of the UK Submarine Command Course “Perisher.”
Submarine Squadron Two was first established in New London, Connecticut in the late 1930s and was active until they were disestablished in January 2012. After finding a need to oversee submarines undergoing maintenance and overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Squadron two was re-established December 12, 2021.
“The mission was clear in December of 2021,” said Reiss. “Establish a full squadron to one, support our boats in every aspect from personnel, training, and logistics; two, across every department from operations to weapons, engineering, executive, and supply; three, get our submarines down the Piscataqua River as soon as possible and four, be more ready to go into combat than ever before. Admiral Gaucher, I am proud to report that this team has done that through their incredible dedication, labor, and close work with many of the folks assembled here.”
Captain Jason Deichler spoke briefly during the ceremony, beginning with referencing Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and his iconic quote “Don’t Give up the Ship.”
“Here we stand today, at the single best public submarine shipyard in the entire fleet,” said Deichler. “Needing more parts and more personnel, with near peer competitors China and Russia looming and threatening our world’s stability and peace. Commodore Perry didn’t beg for parts, and he didn’t beg for Sailors. He made it happen. He rallied his captains to “Never Give up the Ship”.”
Deichler, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, comes to Submarine Squadron Two after serving as Deputy Commander Submarine Squadron 12. His previous submarine tours include USS Springfield (SSN 761), USS Asheville (SSN 758), and USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720).
“It is imperative that our squadron, our captains, and our shipyard sisters and brother never lose sight of the importance of our mission here in beautiful Portsmouth and Kittery,” said Deichler. “We must return our submarines to the fight. We must, like Commodore Perry, remain relentless in our determination to return our apex predators in a condition ready to meet the enemy with the tenacity that has defined our force and this shipyard throughout the years from sails to atoms. We deliver lethality. Squadron Two, here we go.”
Submarine Squadron Two’s mission is to provide attack submarines that are ready, willing, and able to meet the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe.
Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.
Date Taken: | 07.12.2024 |
Date Posted: | 07.12.2024 16:42 |
Story ID: | 476086 |
Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
Hometown: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
Web Views: | 2,574 |
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