US Navy Munitions Command East Asia Division (NMC EAD) held a change of command ceremony on Aug. 14 aboard the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH).
Capt. Edward M. Galvin relieved Capt. Michael J. Singleton as commanding officer during the official ceremony.
During the ceremony, Capt. Mark Springer, Commander NMC and NMC Pacific, served as the guest speaker and Navy Chaplain Cmdr. Jeffery Logan, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, provided the invocation. JBPHH Honors and Ceremonial Guard presented the colors.
Singleton took command of NMC EAD Hawaii in April of 2012. As a commanding officer of the East Asia Division, he oversaw operations in support of fleet units and operational forces in the U.S. Pacific Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) with subsidiary detachments in Sasebo and Yokosuka as well as units in Guam, Okinawa, Atsugi and Misawa and Diego Garcia annex.
Singleton began his carrier in the Navy in October 1976 as an enlisted Sailor, advancing in the service to a high-ranking officer. Over the years he actively participated in the Mustang Round-Up Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer recruiting drives, leading by example, helping and guiding Sailors to success in their military careers. Sailors under his command praised him for his leadership.
Singleton is planning to retire later this year, making NMC EAD Hawaii his last tour.
According to Singleton, his relief is more than capable of doing the job.
During presentation of awards, Springer presented Singleton with a Legion of Merit Medal for outstanding services and achievements. Upon receiving his award, Singleton, as his final act as a commanding officer, surprised two of his Sailors by awarding Logistics Specialist 1st Class Alvin Norman with the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Yeomen 2nd Class Ciatta Tucker with the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
In his farewell remarks, Singleton thanked his command and his Sailors and civilian employees, reiterating their importance to success of the command and the Navy as a whole.
After the reading of official orders, Galvin said he was honored to relieve Singleton as commanding officer and promised the unit would continue to build on his legacy.
Galvin also addressed the men and women of the command as their new leader.
Galvin plans to dedicate his first steps as commanding officer to familiarizing with command functions and learning about its challenges, as well as establishing good rapport with Sailors and civilian employees under his leadership.
NMC EAD Hawaii is responsible for ordnance delivery to ships, submarines and aviation squadrons based in Japan, Hawaii, Diego Garcia and Guam. Command’s mission is to provide command, control and administrative support to NMC EAD units and detachments, which provide quality and responsive logistics, expert technical and material support of ammunition management and ordnance system components to Fleet customer.