Capt. Dan Layton was relieved by Capt. Samuel Hoard as Commander, Navy Mobilization and Deployment Support Command in a ceremony on Naval Station Norfolk, October 30.
Friends, family and colleagues traveled from around the country to join in congratulating Layton on his successful tour and to celebrate the beginning of Hoard’s tenure as MDSC commanding officer, turning over the leadership of a vital component in the deployment readiness of thousands of Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors.
“You enable mission and mobilization readiness to ensure our Navy Reserve Sailors can bring their unique civilian and military skill sets to the high-end fight to augment the active component in defense of our nation,” said Rear Admiral Mike Steffen, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command, the event’s presiding officer. “Every member of the MDSC team plays an absolutely critical role in ensuring our SELRES can provide strategic depth to our total force.”
The establishment of MDSC in December, 2023 coincided with the disestablishment of Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC), which transferred to Navy Reserve Forces Command (CNRFC) in January 2022.
MDSC reflects the Navy Reserve’s rapid alignment with the concept of Adaptive Mobilization, a process intended to improve warfighter readiness by enabling the Navy to respond with speed, agility and quantity of personnel in support of large‐scale contingencies and to improve processes and procedures that will ensure effective mass mobilization capability.
During his transformative tenure as MDSC Commanding Officer, Layton oversaw the organization's transition to the Mobilization Center of Excellence to meet Adaptive Mobilization campaign priorities, empowering regional commands to handle activations and allowing the Navy Reserve to respond swiftly and effectively to mass mobilization requirements.
Hoard comes to MDSC after a successful tour as CO aboard the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10). Under his command, the ship was one of the few Independence-class ships to host the Malaysian Ambassador, fostering deeper international relations. During the deployment, his crew completed over 30 consecutive days at sea, successfully executing four underway and vertical replenishments.
MDSC currently fills the Mobilization Center of Excellence role to train, oversee and execute the Navy’s mobilization processes and continues to deploy steady-state IA Sailors across the globe, while adjusting processes and procedures to encompass the Navy’s focus on Adaptive Mobilization in support of large-scale contingencies and mass mobilization requirements.
“We have to be ready on day one if called into harm’s way,” said Steffen. “This point is further emphasized in CNO’s recent navigation plan, which I encourage you all to read. The CNO is very clear that we have to be ready for sustained high-end joint and combined combat by 2027.”