Roosevelt Holds Change of Command

The officers and crew of Roosevelt, gathered Friday morning along with several distinguished guests to celebrate the change of command.

Retired Adm. Gregory Johnson, former Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe, served as the guest speaker. Keeve served as the flag aide to Adm. Johnson during his time in Sixth Fleet, and the admiral had many kind words for Keeve, the officers and crew of Roosevelt, and Chadwick. He detailed the ship's impressive record over the previous 18 months and the many accomplishments of the crew, expertly led by Keeve.

In his remarks, the outgoing commanding officer astutely reminded the crew that "Roosevelt is not just ten thousand tons of steel. You - the crew of Roosevelt - are what make the ship what it is; the crew is what brings the ship to life.

Keeve assumed command of Roosevelt, a guided-missile destroyer, on May 5, 2008. During his tour, the Washington, D.C.-native led Roosevelt through a successful seven-month Fifth Fleet deployment in support of critical national tasking off the coast of Africa. Additionally, Roosevelt hosted more than 7,000 visitors during New York City's Fleet Week in May 2009 before completing a highly successful Unit Level Training-Sustainment (ULTRA-S) inspection. Keeve also prepared Roosevelt to enter a major maintenance period and pulled the ship into drydock on Oct. 28.

His next duty station will be as the Director of Seamanship and Navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Chadwick will assume command of Roosevelt after serving as a strategic planner at U.S. Southern Command in Miami, Florida. He was born in Bethesda, Maryland and was raised in a Navy family. He is a 1991 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

A Surface Warfare Officer, Chadwick began his career at sea aboard USS Barry (DDG 52) as Gunnery Officer and then Navigator, deploying to Haiti in support of peacekeeping operation and to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Vigilant Warrior.

Follow-on sea tours included duty as Weapons Officer and Combat Systems Officer in USS Vicksburg (CG 69) and executive officer in USS Philippine Sea (CG 58). In Philippine Sea, he deployed to the Arabian Gulf with the Enterprise Strike Group in support Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His most recent sea assignment was as Chief Staff Officer, Destroyer Squadron 24 in Mayport, Florida.

Ashore assignments have included the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., duty as Flag Aide to Director, Surface Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (N76) and Flag Aide to Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command.

Chadwick earned a Masters Degree in National Security Affairs, Middle Eastern Studies and holds a Political/Military Affairs sub-specialty.

Roosevelt, a guided-missile destroyer, is homeported in Mayport, Florida and is currently in drydock at Atlantic Marine Shipyard, Jacksonville, Florida, for a Docking Selected Restricted Availability. The ship is assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron Two Four.