Carrier Strike Group 2 Welcomes New Commander

From USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2 held a change of command ceremony aboard the strike group's flagship, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) July 29.

Rear Adm. Nora W. Tyson assumed command of Carrier CSG 2.

Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, Vice Adm. Melvin G. "Mel" Williams Jr., presided over the ceremony, which included Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead as the guest speaker.

"I am honored and humbled to have been selected to this position; and I promise you, I will give everything I have to the mission and the Sailors and families of Carrier Strike Group 2," Tyson said.

Tyson, a native of Memphis, Tenn., joined the Navy in 1979 after graduating from Vanderbilt University and completing Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., that same year.

As a naval flight officer, Tyson's Navy career included three tours in Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 4 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. She also served as the commanding officer of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). Under her command, Bataan deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and led the Navy's relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The CNO spoke about Tyson's unique qualifications for her new role as the head of CSG 2, referring specifically to her previous assignment as Commander, Task Force 73 and Commander, Logistics Group, Western Pacific in Singapore.

"Singapore is a place I know well and have much affection for," said Roughead. "But that job comes with all the challenges of providing logistics and operational coordination in an area of key strategic interest that happens to encompass 51 million square miles of sea space. It should come as no surprise that I do not assign officers there by chance."

Tyson spoke of how proud she is to take on the latest and most challenging role of her career, leading a strike group consisting of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the ships of Destroyer Group 22, and the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 8. As CSG 2's 69th commander, Tyson talked about the critical role of the Carrier Strike Group in the nation's warfighting arsenal.

"As we all know, these are challenging times to wear our uniform and serve our nation," Tyson said. "Demand for our naval forces will only grow, putting increasing pressure on the finite resources available to us."

She went on to say that the Strike Group would "leverage our collective experience and creativity to do whatever is necessary to defend our nation. We will be ready to respond effectively and efficiently to any tasking we might receive. Our leadership, and our fellow countrymen, expect nothing less from us," Tyson added.

CSG 2 is scheduled to deploy in 2011.