Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Moises Sandoval | SINGAPORE (Jan. 23, 2026) U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional...... read more read more
CHANGI NAVAL BASE, REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE – U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) conducted a Change of Charge ceremony for its U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility Detachment Singapore (SRF Det. Singapore) at Changi Naval Base on Jan. 23. Cmdr. Elliott VonWeller relinquished his duties as the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of ship repair operations to Cmdr. René Martin.
Capt. Wendel Penetrante, Commander of SRF-JRMC, presided over the event and was the guest speaker. He praised Cmdr. VonWeller for his dedication, service, and leadership as Officer-In-Charge of SRF Det. Singapore.
“Upon arrival, Elliott’s first task was to stand up this detachment, seamlessly transitioning from COMLOG WESTPAC Ship Repair Unit to SRF Det Singapore,” said Penetrante. “Despite a persistent 25% manning shortfall, his team flawlessly executed over 80 maintenance availabilities totaling nearly $140M—an incredible output that is a direct testament to his leadership and significantly enhanced 7th Fleet’s forward readiness.”
“Elliott’s expertise was routinely sought at the highest levels; regularly engaging with U.S., Singaporean, Japanese, and Korean Flag-level leadership to shape force posture decisions and was instrumental in the development and execution of Ship Wartime Repair and Maintenance Exercises (SWaRMEX) at strategic locations throughout the INDOPACOM AOR,” he continued. “I can tell you great teams have great leaders, and Elliott is among our best. This is a tough job that requires someone who can work independently, can think on their feet, and is not afraid to make decisions. Someone who can communicate, collaborate and bring teams together. Elliott has all of these traits and more. He invests in his people and knows their success means mission success.”
Cmdr. VonWeller was quick to thank his team for their success over the last two years. “Thank you; to lead this team in this AOR in this period of time has been a remarkable experience. There are very few who do what you do, and none that can do it better,” said VonWeller. “It has been an honor, farewell.”
U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility Detachment, Singapore, has a unique history. The unit was established as the N43 Maintenance and Engineering Department of the Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific (COMLOG WESTPAC) in July of 1992, following the relocation of personnel from the Ship Repair Facility Subic Bay, Philippines. The department, consisting of 8 personnel and a small contract oversight team, took on the responsibility of providing oversight for all surface ship maintenance outside Japan in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
With the increased workload and complexity of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) executing extended deployments and forward operating from Singapore, the command grew to 40 personnel with an annual maintenance budget of approximately $90 million. Seeking realignment of surface ship maintenance responsibilities under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) directed that SRF Det. Singapore was established on August 1, 2023, under SRF-JRMC.
Today, SRF Det. Singapore is responsible for the maintenance, modernization, and repairs of United States Navy ships deployed throughout more than 48 million square miles of the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations outside Japan. The team provides work specification development, engineering design, contract management oversight, material procurement, and safety and quality assurance to ensure optimal material readiness of fleet assets needed to deter, fight, and win. The team works closely with partners and allies in Singapore, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India to execute repairs for units under the U.S. 7th Fleet Operational Commander.
Cmdr. Martin concluded the ceremony with his remarks. “It is with great humility and pride that I stand before you as Detachment Singapore Officer in Charge,” said Martin. “CDR VonWeller, thank you for your unwavering leadership and dedication to our profession. I am committed to building upon the strong foundation you have established at Detachment Singapore.”
“I am honored to join the team,” he continued. “Our mission is clear: warfighting readiness. A battle-ready force begins with materiel readiness. This is a no-fail mission with direct implications for the warfighters downrange and requires relentless attention to expanding our ship repair capabilities. Every action we take and every decision we make must directly contribute to warfighting readiness. As we re-examine our day-to-day operations through this lens, we will focus on developing our team, improving stakeholder communication, and fostering continuous learning.”
For over 75-years, U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) has been the linchpin of U.S. naval operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by providing intermediate-level and depot-level repair for the ships of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
| Date Taken: | 01.29.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.30.2026 01:46 |
| Story ID: | 557146 |
| Location: | CHANGI, SG |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SRF-JRMC’s Singapore Detachment Conduct a Change of Charge, by Randall Baucom, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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