By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander,
Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs
GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Submarine
Development Squadron (DEVRON) 12 held a change of command ceremony May 11
aboard Los Angeles-class submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751) at Naval Submarine
Base New London, Conn.
During the time-honored ceremony, Capt.
William Merz turned over command to Capt. Vern Parks.
Vice Adm. John Richardson, commander,
Submarine Forces Atlantic, served as guest speaker, and praised Merz for his
leadership.
"It's always wonderful to be in
Groton, the submarine capital. It's a special treat to be here to take a moment
to pause and reflect on Commodore Bill Merz's superb tour in command of
SUBDEVRON 12," said Richardson. "DEVRON 12 is unique in the Submarine
Force, with a dual nature; there is the waterfront side, where Bill commanded
the squadron of seven submarines, including deployments to the CENTCOM and
EUCOM theaters of operation."
Richardson praised Merz for his
leadership of the squadron's tactical development side, where he led a
"team of top-notch analysts that study and define our intellectual
warfighting base. In both areas, Bill was superb."
Richardson also reflected on Military
Spouse Appreciation Day and recognized Merz's wife Martha.
"She has shared in the sacrifices
and joys, doing her part while Bill did his," said Richardson. "Our
Navy would not run without the very special teamwork between Sailor and spouse,
and Bill and Martha have been a stellar example of how good that team can be."
Richardson added that the true legacy of
Merz's leadership "will be the people you have trained and led. Our
Sailors and their families are the most important part of our success; they
have always been our secret weapon."
Richardson welcomed Parks to his new
assignment as commodore of DEVRON 12.
"Capt. Vern Parks, welcome to the
team. You are no stranger to leadership and command. You are perfectly suited
to take this job, and we are all dedicated to your success," said
Richardson.
Merz, a native of San Diego, will next
serve as the Chief of Staff, Commander Submarine Force Atlantic and reflected
on his time in command of DEVRON 12.
"It has been a once in a lifetime
opportunity. The men and women we have the honor to serve, and to serve with,
both ashore and afloat, are truly inspiring. DEVRON 12 represents the heartbeat
of the submarine force and both the experience and the education have been
incredibly enriching," said Merz.
Merz added that at no time during his 26
years in the submarine force has he felt more connected to the submarine
community.
"What else could you ask for? I
envy my relief, Capt. Vern Parks. He is just the right officer at just the
right time to take over the helm, and I wish him the best," said Merz.
In addition to his role as commodore of
DEVRON 12, Merz also served as chairman of the Submarine Tactical Requirements
Group, in which he guided the Submarine Force Acquisition Community, ensuring
the Force remained focused and capable of delivering precision warfare technology
to the fleet.
"My role as chairman was to bring
together some of the best and brightest of the submarine force to not only
learn from them, but to conceptualize how their multi-tasking capabilities can
be applied to improve the future of the submarine force," said Merz.
Parks, who previously served as
commanding officer of USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) and executive officer of USS
Helena (SSN 725) is looking forward to taking the helm of DEVRON 12, which is
to support the Navy's vision of the future by developing and evaluating
submarine tactics, both war fighting and forward presence, and disseminating
those tactics to the operating forces.
"I am honored by the opportunity to
serve as the commander of Submarine Development Squadron Twelve, supporting the
officers and crews of our submarines in all they do and continuing the 60-plus
year legacy of my predecessors in tactical development for our submarine
force," said Parks. "The team that Capt. Merz has led for the past 20
months, has excelled in all areas, and I am looking forward to the future with
the outstanding men and women of DEVRON 12."
Parks graduated from the Pennsylvania
State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science holds a
Master's of Business Administration from Brenau University and a Masters of
Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.
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