PORT TOWNSEND — Commander R.J. Jameson has assumed the role of commander for Naval Magazine Indian Island and Navy Munitions Command Pacific CONUS West Division Unit Indian Island.

More than 100 people attended Friday’s change of command ceremony, which took place at the American Legion Hall in Port Townsend. Navy Band Northwest, stationed out of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Silverdale, played before the event.

The ceremony, performed for the last 250 years, is among the oldest in naval tradition, said Rear Admiral Mark Sucato, Commander of Navy Region Northwest. It is an American tradition, he added.

“The heart of the ceremony is, today they’ll be exchanging salutes,” Sucato said. “The core of the ceremony is, ‘I’m ready to be relieved, you got it?’, ‘I got it.’ It’s literally that simple a change where we transfer all of the legal and command authorities.”

Commander Todd Galvin, who was relieved of command, led at the base since 2023. Galvin said he is proud of the work done at the base under his command. He said his one goal when he began in the role was to “make it better.”

There were a litany of directions he could have gone with that goal, Galvin said. He chose to focus on improving facilities, collaborating with others on the base to do so.

“Long conversations, a lot of sitting in each others’ offices talking about, how’re we going to get after our 1940s facilities and maintain them so we continue doing missions?” he said. “Overall, I think we were utterly successful. I think we’ve set up R.J. for the future, hopefully.”

Galvin’s next appointment will be on the USS George Washington in Japan.

Sucato commended Galvin on a clean safety record while at the base, noting that a clean safety record is both a success and a requirement in the work.

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of Indian Island’s value to the United States Navy,” Sucato said. “While Todd has been the commanding officer, an incredible amount of ordnance has crossed their pier, 50,000 tons of material.”

Sucato said the Pacific Northwest is an important region for the Navy.

“Naval Magazine Indian Island is the U.S. Navy’s premier deep-water ammunition port on the West Coast,” a Navy press release read. “Its 1,600-foot pier can handle the largest Navy and commercial vessels afloat. The 2,700-acre island is also home to more than 100 magazines that store conventional munitions ranging from small arms ammunition to aircraft ordnance to ship-launched missiles.”

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Jameson holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Marine Engineering Systems from the Merchant Marine Academy, completed in 2009.

Jameson started his career afloat as a Search and Rescue Officer, attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70. Later he became the assistant operations officer, the Navy said.

Jameson also saw deployments throughout the Mediterranean, Black and Red seas aboard the USS Truxtun (DDG 103). Further deployments on the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) brought him throughout the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf. On the USS Green Bay (LPD 20), Jameson served in the East and South China seas.

In 2024, Jameson graduated from the United States Naval War College with highest distinction with a master of arts degree in Defense and Strategic Studies, where he also finished a research program at the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School.

Jameson said he and his family have settled in Port Ludlow and he is happy to a Jefferson County resident.

After receiving the command, Jameson addressed the audience. He thanked his children for sitting still during the event.

“Sitting still is not really the Jameson way,” he said, describing the many moves in his naval career. “From Florida to Japan, then over to Ohio, down to Florida, up to Rhode Island, now here in Washington, we’ve moved all over.”

Jameson said he has been speaking with Galvin over the last few months.

“You truly killed it,” he said. “I truly believe that if I have any kind of success or am perceived to have success in the near future, it’s because Todd and the team did a ton of work in the last couple of years.”

Jameson said he has appreciated the warm welcome given to him by the naval members stationed at the base. He said individuals have given him extensive tours of the base, sharing historical details, drawing his focus to IT projects, infrastructure, facilities and security.

Present at the ceremony were James Bray, a representative of U.S. Rep. Emily Randall, D-Port Orchard, County Commissioner Greg Brotherton, Acting Sheriff Andy Pernsteiner, leaders from the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, as well as the families of the two commanders and service members from Naval Magazine Indian Island and Navy Munitions Command Pacific CONUS West Division Unit Indian Island.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.