“Admiral Rich, I am ready to be relieved … ”
With those words, the command of Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division passed from Captain Martin “Tripp” Hardy, to Capt. Noel J. Dahlke. The ceremony was held on the parade grounds in front of the headquarters at the Seal Beach station. Rear Admiral Mark Rich, Commander of Navy Region Southwest, presided over a splendid display of naval tradition and ceremony.
Elaborate and formal as the ceremony was, Capt. Hardy was carrying out rather simple, briefly written orders:
FROM: Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC
SUBJECT: Chief of Naval Operations Order Number 1816. When directed by Reporting Senior, detach from duty as Commanding Officer, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Commanding Officer Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division.
The two-sentence order—in just 32-words—signaled the close of Capt. Hardy’s distinguished 32-years of service and Navy career.
It began as many young people’s Navy careers do—at Recruit Training Command, Naval Training Center Great Lakes—better known as Boot Camp. It’s unknown if the young Seaman Recruit Hardy had aspirations of such a career, but it’s certain he was made of the right stuff to achieve it. Starting off as a Nuclear Power Machinist Mate, Hardy later became a “Mustang,” someone who began naval service in the enlisted ranks, and earned a Commission into the Officer ranks—a rarity in the US Navy. And among Navy personnel—the Chiefs and the Mustangs carry high degrees of respect.
Capt. Hardy, a Naval Surface Warfare Officer, was relieved by Captain Noel J. Dahlke. Four years ago, Hardy relieved Capt. Terry Auberry, who retired after nearly 38 years of service. The Station’s newest commanding officer, Capt. Dahlke is a Naval Flight Officer, and he has served commands around the world, most recently in Bahrain, where he served as Southwest Asia Deputy Commander for Navy Region Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. For the past four years, he has been stationed in his hometown, San Diego. He and his wife Shamby, have two teen-age children.
Tripp and Grayce embarked yesterday to take a year off and to cruise north along the Pacific seaboard, aboard “I Sea Blues,” a 38-ft Bayliner motoryacht, with Catalina Island as the first port of call. They plan to arrive in San Francisco Bay this fall and use it as a jumping off point to travel. Next spring they will continue the journey north. Washington State is their final destination and they intend to settle in the town of Anacortes, Washington – located in the Puget Sound and itself rich with maritime history.
“Cruising the San Juan and Gulf Islands is fantastic and we look forward to dropping a crab pot and just hanging out. I have family in Victoria, BC so it will be nice to be closer to them,” Grayce said. By about this time next year, they expect to be settled in Washington and pursuing new opportunities there. If Hardy starts and ends his retirement like he did his Navy career, it’s certain that he and Grayce have many years of adventure awaiting over the horizon. We wish them both fair winds and following seas.
The following is the full text of Captain Hardy’s remarks.
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Full text of Captain Martin “Tripp” Hardy at Change of Command Ceremony, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.
25 August, 2016. 10:00am
Admiral, thank you for your kind remarks and for presiding over this ceremony today. Again, welcome to warm and sunny Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and the home of Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division; also a hearty welcome to everyone who traveled in from afar to be part of this special day.
We are gathered here today in a time honored tradition to formally pass the command of Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division. While this is a standard part of military life, I have gotten many questions from friends on what this actually means and are you really done today. The answer to that question by the way is yes, I am really done today. After reading our orders, an exchange of salutes and the phrase “I relieve you” command authority passes at that moment.
Grayce and I have enjoyed our time in Seal Beach. It is hard to figure out where these last four years went and even harder as I come to the realization that I am completing 32 years of naval service. We are awed by the accomplishments of the Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command team and I thank all my fellow service members and veterans present for their service and friendship.
While at times it might seem a bit quiet, in reality NWS Seal Beach is a bustling organization. The installation team oversees detachments in Fallbrook and Norco with diverse tenants. We are responsible for Defense Fuel Support Point in San Pedro and the Navy fueling pier in Long Beach. On Navy Munitions Command side we lead over 1,000 military, government civilian and contractor personnel at twelve separate and geographically dispersed ordnance activities along the entire west coast and manage all resources including a combined budget of over $40 million dollars.
But regardless of whatever organization we belong too, we support the Pacific Fleet air, surface and submarine operations in an outstanding fashion and lead the way in delivering effective and efficient fleet ordnance support, professional innovation and astute resource management.
We are a closely knit team at Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command and we have a diversity of experience that we all benefit from. We have personnel from many different communities and career paths here to accomplish our mission. I am reminded of a World War II quote that seems fitting for us here in Seal Beach.
“Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!”
This quote came from a Chaplain serving in the heavy cruiser USS NEW ORLEANS during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Navy Chaplain Lieutenant Forgy saw the men of an ammunition party tiring as they labored to bring shells to the antiaircraft guns. Barred by his non-combatant status from actively participating in keeping the guns firing, Lieutenant Forgy decided that he could add moral support to the ammunition bearers through words of encouragement.
And so it is still true today, whatever our background, experiences and responsibilities, we are united under a common mission and bond. We all help out wherever we can to get the job done on time and safely. Thank you both Seal Beach and all our ordnance teams.
When I think about what we do here, I also think of a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that reminds me of the Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command team.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
I have enjoyed my time in the Seal Beach arena and it is with certain sadness that I complete my tour and leave this place. Thank you to the Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command team who will stay behind in the arena and continue to know victory.
Welcome to Captain Dahlke and his wife Shamby. Captain Dahlke comes to us from Bahrain, where he served as Southwest Asia Deputy Commander for Navy Region Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. Captain Dahlke brings with him a wealth of experience and insight and I know he will leverage NWS Seal Beach and Navy Munitions Command’s accomplishments to continue our history of excellence. Tink, I have enjoyed getting to know you over the last couple of weeks. You have been great to work with in this turnover, thank you.
So this brings me to the second reason for my speech today, retirement. 32 years went by quickly; the Navy is the only job I have known since high school. As I reflect back, I realize that I am quite lucky and the navy has been very good to me. I have had opportunities many of my friends did not.
Formal education, mechanical engineering in Auburn, Navy Nuclear propulsion schools and training, Master’s Degree from George Washington University. I have had great life experiences working and living in London, England and Stavanger, Norway. I have been assigned to five ships and done every job at sea from division officer to ship Captain.
I have deployed many times, cumulatively spent years at sea and seen hundreds of ports and of course spent plenty of time in the Persian Gulf. I have also lived in Washington DC and worked in the US Department of State and later in the Pentagon during 9/11. It has never been boring.
Four years is a drop in the bucket for many civilian jobs, but it is a long tour in the navy. In my 32 years of service I have never had a longer tour and Grayce and I are happy to finish our navy service in Seal Beach. Over our time here we have made so many dear friends. We have fallen in love with the community and you have all made us feel at home.
It is almost impossible to walk down Main Street in uniform without some stranger stopping you to say “thank you for your service.” That is just the kind of place Seal Beach is. We have enjoyed working with the community and really feel like we were taken in from our first day of arrival. We have lived in other bigger fleet concentration areas, but there is just something special here, in a smaller town, that really loves and supports our navy, our Sailors and our mission. We will really miss that.
I would like to give a special thanks to both the Navy League and the Association of Naval Aviation who have done a great job of recognizing our Sailors as they receive quarterly awards. The Seal Beach Lion’s Club has consistently supported our military personnel, volunteering for many on station events.
The Woman’s Club of Seal Beach has also repeatedly been there for our Sailors and their families, especially in times of need. The city government, the Chamber of Commerce, and the community at large have always been supportive of the base, its vital mission, and our personnel. Thank you all.
Also a special thank you to all of Grayce’s and my friends who are here today. Thanks for taking the time to attend. You all are great; we will miss you all and look forward to many visits back to Seal Beach.
No one accomplishes a Navy career on their own. We cannot function in the Navy without the support of our proud parents or our spouses who take care of so many things as we are away from home and carrying out the mission of the Navy. Our children sacrifice their time with their parents in order to share them with the Navy to support our country and our Naval Operations worldwide. I am blessed to have my wife, mother, father, sister, and best friend Jeff from back home here today to share this day with me and I would like to thank them for their service and support over the years with me.
Jeff thanks for your support over the years. I know I can always count on you even in difficult times and I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to be here
For my sister Megan, I know we do not keep in touch like we should and I know that it is really my fault. Thank you for coming to this ceremony today.
For my father, Rodney, thanks for all your advice and help with my family. I am glad you were able to make the trip.
For my mother, Gayle, I know you were not exactly thrilled when I decided at 18 to leave home and join the navy. But in the end, I think it has worked out alright. I appreciate your unconditional support in my life even when you don’t always agree on what I am doing. Thank you for being here today.
For my children, Emily, William, and Gillian who are all in college on the East Coast and not able to be here, thank you for all your sacrifices. Being away from home and away from family has been the hardest part of my career.
And finally for my wife Grayce, I could not have succeeded without you and that is quite an understatement. You are with me every day and listen to me vent and talk about things I cannot discuss at work, you are there for me when I need you and when I am stressed. You are my best friend. I love you. Thank you for all that you do.
In closing, let me just say that it has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you all and be part of this community. Grayce and I look forward to many happy returns.
I will now read my orders.
FROM: Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC
SUBJECT: Chief of Naval Operations Order Number 1816. When directed by Reporting Senior, detach from duty as Commanding Officer, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach and Commanding Officer Navy Munitions Command CONUS West Division.
ADMIRAL RICH, I AM READY TO BE RELIEVED.
