Pearl Harbor (USS Emory S. Land Public Affairs) -- The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), homeported in Guam, held a change of command ceremony in Pearl Harbor, HI. on Sept. 21. Capt. Michael Luckett relieved Capt. Douglas Bradley as commanding officer. Rear Adm. Daryl Caudle, Commander, Submarine Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, was the presiding officer and guest speaker at the ceremony. He congratulated Capt. Bradley on a job well done and welcomed Capt. Luckett as the new commanding officer. Under Capt. Bradley's command, Emory S. Land tended 18 submarines alongside and conducted 82 availabilities including 10 CMAV's, 35 Voyage Repairs, 16 fly away missions. The Emory S. Land also expanded its reload capabilities conducting 256 Tomahawk missile handling evolutions, 472 ADCAP torpedo handling evolutions, and recovering and flushing 26 exercise ADCAPS. Also while under Capt. Bradley's command, Emory S. Land was awarded the COMSUBPAC Weapons (P), Medical (M), Personnel (P), as well as the Navy Exchange Ships Store Excellence Award, PACFLT Retention Excellence Award, and the David M. Cook Food Service Excellence Award during 2016. During 2017 Emory S. Land was awarded the Battle "E", Repair (R), Medical (M), Supply (E), Weapons (W), Personnel (P), Communications (C), the Navy Exchange Ships Store Excellence Award, PACFLT Retention Excellence Award, and the David M. Cook Food Service Excellence Award. Emory S. Land recently underwent a three month maintenance period at the Mare Island Dry Dock in Vallejo, Calif. that she finished on time and under budget. The Land was the first Navy ship to return to the shipyard since the shipyard closed in 1996. "I have to thank the crew, both Navy and MSC." said Capt. Bradley. "The ship expanded and grew capabilities that were dormant on this ship for some time. I am proud of how we expanded our reload, repair, and resupply capabilities." The work the crew accomplished has made this ship capable to deploy and accomplish our mission anywhere.
Capt Bradley was relieved as Emory S. Land's 25th commanding officer.
Engineman 3rd Class Jaime Hernandez, left, and Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Coday, right, Sailors assigned to the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), parade the colors during a change of command ceremony, in which Capt. Michael Luckett relieved Capt. Douglas A. Bradley as commanding officer, in Pearl Harbor, Sept. 21. Land is currently deployed as an expeditionary submarine tender on an extended deployment conducting coordinated tended moorings and afloat maintenance in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations. Land and USS Frank Cable (AS 40), the U.S. Navy's only two submarine tenders, both homeported in Apra Harbor, Guam, provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Richard A. Miller)
Luckett, a native of Banning, Calif. began his Navy career when he graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Naval Architecture. He served as a Division Officer onboard USS Jefferson City (SSN 759), Engineer Officer on USS Houston (SSN 713) and as Executive Officer of USS Pennsylvania (GOLD) (SSBN 735). He commanded USS Missouri (SSN 780) and USS Mississippi (SSN 782). "I am impressed by the capabilities that the ship and her combined Navy and MSC crew currently possess. I am also excited about the potential we have, with the talent and equipment onboard, for expanding and extending those capabilities further." said Luckett Guam is home to the U.S. Navy's only submarine tenders, USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and USS Frank Cable (AS 40), as well as four Los Angeles-class attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements. For more information about USS Emory S. Land (AS 39), visit us at http://www.csp.navy.mil/emorysland/ or like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EmorySLand, or on Twitter @EmorySLand.