Navy in isles gets 2 new commanders

The Pentagon last week announced two major leadership changes at Pearl Harbor, including the new incoming commanders of Navy Region Hawaii and Pacific Fleet Submarine Force.

Rear Adm. Frederick J. "Fritz" Roegge will be assigned as commander of the Submarine Force. He is currently serving as director of the military personnel plans and policy division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

He will replace Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer, who will be assigned as deputy commander and chief of staff of Pacific Fleet.

Capt. John V. Fuller will be the new commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group. Fuller is currently serving as deputy, littoral combat ships, for the chief of naval operations. He was selected for promotion to rear admiral last month.

Fuller will replace Rear Adm. Richard L. "Rick" Williams Jr., who will be the new commander of Carrier Strike Group 15, home-ported at North Island in San Diego.

Roegge graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and was commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. He earned a master of science degree in engineering management from the Catholic University of America and a master of arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He also was a fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Roegge commanded the submarine USS Connecticut and led Submarine Squadron 22 with additional duty as commanding officer of Naval Support Activity La Maddalena in Italy; he later commanded Submarine Group 8.

Fuller graduated from the Naval Academy in 1987, the Naval Postgraduate School in 1993, and Naval War College in 2000. He also was a fellow at MIT.

Fuller commanded the guided-missile destroyer USS Mason from January 2006 to August 2007.

Other promotions and assignments for Hawaii-based general officers and admirals recently announced by the Pentagon include:

» Marine Maj. Gen. Michael Dana, currently director for strategic planning and policy at U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith, will be promoted to lieutenant general and assigned as deputy commandant for installations and logistics.

» Brig. Gen. Lawrence Thoms, now deputy commander of 311th Signal Command (Theater) at Fort Shafter, to commander of the 335th Signal Command in Kuwait.

» Rear Adm. Randy Crites, director of the Pacific Fleet’s Maritime Headquarters, to commander, Submarine Group 10, Kings Bay, Ga.