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LEFT: NAVALAIRSTATION SIGONELLA,Italy(July21,2023) - Margaret McCullough,USO centermanager,poses fora photowith Oliverand Morgan,therapydogs forNavalAirStation Sigonella’s USO. ABOVE: Oliverand Morgan pose fora photo at the USO terminal.NAS Sigonella’s strategic location enables U.S.allied,and partnernation forces to deployand respond as required to ensure securityand stabilityin Europe,Africa and Central Command. (U.S.NAVYPHOTOSBYMASSCOMMUNICATION2NDCLASSKELSEYS.CULBERTSON)

USS Winston S. Churchill holds change of command ceremony

ByCommander,NavalSurface

ForceAtlantic

Capt. Ryan O’Loughlin relieved Cmdr. Brian S. Anthony as command officer of USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), July 28,duringaceremonyheldaboardtheship.

RearAdm.JamesAiken,Commander,U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, served as the time-honored ceremony’s presiding officer witnessing the ceremonial transfer of command leadership fromAnthonytoO’Loughlin

Anthony served as the commanding officer since November 2021. He was fully responsible for ensuring the Winston S. Churchill was manned, trained, equipped and ready to fight. “In War: Resolution. In Peace:Goodwill”theCommand’smottowas aguidinglightthroughouthistour.

Anthony highlighted the hard work and dedication of his command, emphasizing waterfront leadership and expertise in goodwill.

“To be great in the Navy, requires great sacrifice,” said Anthony. “As you move through your career, you will be met with many hard decisions When you reach that point, it will be up to you to decide where your priorities lie You must consider your goals familylife andtheNavy’smission.You should be able to look back on your Naval career and know that you made the right sacrifices.”

AnthonyrecountshistouronboardChurchillintermsofpushingforwardthephilosophical ideals of former U.S. Secretary of DefenseJamesMattis

“Someofthedefiningmomentsduringmy timeincommandwasourabilitytoworkwith theresourceswehadandmaximizethemto get things done,” said Anthony. “As Mattis said, ‘Focus on training the young Marines we had, not worry about the ones we didn’t have…IwouldmakedowithwhatIhad,and not waste time whining about what I didn’t have.’ Working through adversity allowed Churchill to be successful leading the crew torallytogetherformissionreadiness.”

O’Loughlin most recently served as DivisionChief,WesternEurope&Balkans,Joint Staff J5 Strategy, Plans and Policy Deputy DirectorateforEurope-NATO-Russia.

O’Loughlin’spreviousseadutycommands

MAYPORT,Fla.(July28,2023) - Cmdr BrianAnthony(center) salutes RearAdm.JamesAiken,Commander,U.S.NavyForces Southern Command,U.S.4th Fleet,during a change ofcommand ceremonywhere hewas relieved byCapt.Ryan O’Loughlin as the Commanding Officer ofthe USSWinston S.Churchill (DDG 81),July28 2023 USSWinston S.Churchill is the 31stArleigh Burke Class destroyerto be built forthe U.S. Navyand the fifth U.S.warship to be named in honorofan English subject The ship is capable offighting air surface,and subsurface battles simultaneously (U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST1STCLASSBRANDONJ.VINSON) include USS O’Kane (DDG 77) as the Damage Control Assistant and USS Russell (DDG 59) as the Fire Control Officer He servedasOperationsOfficerofUSSForrest Sherman(DDG98)andUSSMonterey(CG 61), making her maiden Ballistic Missile Defensedeployment.

He was the Executive Officer of and commanded USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), where he was awarded the 2019 Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for InspirationalLeadership Whilecommanding Forrest Sherman, his crew earned the

Battle “E. He has deployed to Fifth, Sixth, and SeventhFleets, includingoperationsin theArcticCircle.

Unique to the fleet, Churchill is the only U.S. Navy ship to have a Royal Navy officer assignedpermanentlytoship’scompanyasa symbolofthepartnershipbetweentheBritish and American navies It is also the only U.S.Navalvesseltoflyaforeignensign-the Royal Navy’s White Ensign is flown alongside the Stars and Stripes Churchill is the fifth U.S. warship to be named in honor of anEnglishsubject.

SURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of United States national interests TheSURFLANTforceiscomposedofnearly 80 ships 17 pre-commissioning units and morethan30shorecommands For more SURFLANT news and photos visit facebook.com/SURFLANT, www surflant.usff.navy.mil, and Twitter - @ surflant