090807-N-8119A-072 BANGOR, Wash. (Aug. 7, 2009) Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell, Jr., left, takes command from Rear Adm. Timothy Giardina, and reports to Rear Adm. Douglas McAneny, commander of Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, during the Submarine Group 9 change of command ceremony. The ceremony was held on Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. Giardina, who was promoted to Rear Adm. upper half just 30 minutes before the ceremony, will report as Director, Readiness and Training to U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gretchen M. Albrecht/Released)

Courtesy Navy NewsStand. (note: Rear Adm. Giardina was a USS Kentucky (Gold) CO)

By Lt. Kellie Randall, Commander, Submarine Group 9 Public Affairs

BANGOR, WA (NNS) — Commander, Submarine Group 9 conducted a change command during a ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap Aug. 7.

Rear Adm. Timothy Giardina transferred command to Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell Jr.

Giardina, a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, supervised numerous events as commander including all west coast fleet ballistic missile submarines achieving 100 percent weapons, navigation and communication readiness while on patrol; the submarine force celebration of the 1,000th Ohio-class SSBN strategic deterrent patrol; and the conversion and successful first patrol of USS Ohio (SSGN 726) and USS Michigan (SSGN 727). Continued…