SAN DIEGO -- Cmdr. Alfonza White was relieved by Cmdr. Dana Canby as commanding officer of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during a change of command ceremony held at Naval Base San Diego, June 28. Capt. Douglas Meagher, commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1 (LCSRON 1), was the presiding officer of the ceremony.
“Change of command ceremonies are a unique opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of a commanding officer and his crew, and the formal transfer responsibility, accountability and authority to his relief,” said Meagher. “We are here today to celebrate the achievements of Cmdr. White throughout a successful tour before welcoming Cmdr. Canby to Fort Worth and the LCS team.”
During White’s time in command, Fort Worth had zero unplanned losses, and maintained focus on team building and maintaining morale.
“Today’s ceremony isn't about me, today is about the crew and their efforts to support not just the ship but each other,” said White. “I will remember each and every one of you, and I look forward to what you will accomplish in the future. This is the best crew I have ever gotten serve with, and no matter the challenge I know they are up to the task.”
During the ceremony, White was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his superior accomplishments, and will be reporting to Surface Development Group 1 as the chief of staff officer for his next tour of duty.
“It’s a huge honor to be in command of Fort Worth,” said Canby. “Cmdr. White, Lt. Cmdr. Smith, it was apparent on my very first day of turnover that you’ve built a high performing team that cares for this ship, cares for one another, and is eager to get Fort Worth underway and executing any and every mission.”
White is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He enlisted in 1995 as a Submariner Electrician's Mate (Nuclear). He commissioned through Officer Candidate School and graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Electronics in 2003. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Defense and Strategy from the Naval War College.
Fort Worth is homeported in San Diego as a part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1. Littoral combat ships are fast, optimally-manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century threats. LCS integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.
For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/.