Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jackson Adkins | VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (July 30, 2026) – Ms. Tracy Riker, left, executive director, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), Rear Adm. Brad Andros, center, commander, NECC, and Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Ryan Needles, the youngest Sailor assigned to NECC, use ceremonial shovels to bury a time capsule outside Building 3509 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, July 30. The burial ceremony celebrated the command's 20th anniversary and concluded with a command picnic. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins) see less
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NECC Marks 20 Years with Time Capsule Honoring Expeditionary Legacy
JOINT EXPEDITIONARY BASE LITTLE CREEK – FORT STORY, Va. — Sailors and civilians assigned to Navy Expeditionary Combat Command gathered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story on July 30 to bury a time capsule commemorating the command’s 20th anniversary and capturing a snapshot of the force for those who will carry the expeditionary mission forward.
The capsule, buried near NECC headquarters, is scheduled to be opened in 2046 during the force’s 40th anniversary.
Rear Adm. Brad Andros, commander of NECC, said the capsule is meant to connect today’s force with the Sailors and civilians who will inherit the mission in the years ahead.
“Today, as we prepare to bury this time capsule, we are sending a message across time to the expeditionary Sailors of the year 2046,” Andros said. “The command may evolve, but the unbreakable warrior spirit of the expeditionary Sailor is forever etched in our DNA.”
The Navy established NECC on Jan. 13, 2006, to bring its expeditionary capabilities under one command and field forces able to deploy quickly, operate in any environment and support the joint force by bridging sea to shore.
Over the past two decades, expeditionary Sailors have carried out a wide range of missions, including counter-improvised explosive device operations, mine countermeasures and maritime security in support of fleet and joint forces, as well as construction, logistics, diving and intelligence operations around the globe.
“When NECC was established in January 2006, our Navy recognized a critical imperative: We needed to unify our expeditionary capabilities to meet the complex, rapidly evolving threats of a post-9/11 world,” Andros said.
“Together, we forged a force unlike any other, adapting from the deserts of Iraq to the strategic waterways of the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and the High North.”
Representatives from across the expeditionary force brought forward artifacts reflecting their communities’ histories and contributions.
Participating communities included the Naval Construction Force, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Forces, Maritime Expeditionary Security Forces, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group and Navy Expeditionary Warfighting Development Center.
Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Ryan Needles, the youngest Sailor assigned to NECC, placed each item into the capsule as representatives described what they had contributed and why it mattered.
The collection included photographs, newsletters, articles and other materials capturing the force’s history and its role in supporting the Navy and the nation. A wreath was added to honor expeditionary Sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice during the command’s first 20 years. A yellow ribbon was also placed inside to recognize the families whose support has sustained expeditionary Sailors through deployments and long periods away from home. Each community from the expeditionary force also placed items that represented the legacy of their Sailors.
“None of our success over the last 20 years would have been possible without our families,” Andros said. “Their sacrifices are the absolute bedrock of our readiness.”
Andros also placed a sealed letter addressed to the commander, officers, Sailors and civilians of the Navy’s expeditionary forces in 2046.
The letter offers a snapshot of the force in 2026, touching on the evolving security environment, the growing role of artificial intelligence and unmanned systems, and the Navy’s shift toward distributed maritime operations.
Even with those changes, Andros wrote that the core of the expeditionary force would remain the same.
“The heart of our force does not lie in the gear we pack or the designation on our command sign; it lies in the warrior ethos of our people,” Andros wrote. “We operate in the dirt, in the surf and under fire. We build the bases, we clear the hazards, we secure the ports and we sustain the fight. That grit is our legacy, and we pass it on to you undiminished.”
After the final items and the commander’s letter were placed inside, Needles sealed the capsule. Needles, Andros and Ms. Tracy Riker, the executive director of NECC, then used ceremonial shovels to begin covering it with soil. The capsule was built by Sailors assigned to Naval Construction Group 2.
The ceremony concluded with a command picnic recognizing the Sailors, civilians and families who have supported NECC’s mission and its anniversary observance.
“As this vault is sealed and buried, we do so with immense pride in our past and absolute confidence in our future,” Andros said.
In his letter to the future force, Andros left its members with a final message: “We have held the line. We know you will do the same.”
