CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) will hold a formal Change of Command Ceremony on Wednesday, July 1 at 10am EST. Capt. Duncan McKay will relieve Capt. Mark Oesterreich after three years as NSWC Crane’s 29th Commanding Officer. Capt. Oesterreich will retire from the U.S. Navy after 29 years of service.
To view the ceremony live, watch here: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_M2I3YzMyMWItNzc1MS00NWRiLWEwMjYtMmJjOGIyMWQ3Nzdl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2221acfbb3-32be-4715-9025-1e2f015cbbe9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22979feffa-f018-43b3-b31f-41bc38fc370c%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d
The Change of Command is a tradition formally restating the continuity of the authority of command. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of the command, as well as honored guests and dignitaries. The Change of Command is unique in the world today; it is a transfer of total responsibility, authority, and accountability from one individual to another.
“It has been an honor to lead the workforce at Crane,” Capt. Oesterreich said. “Over the past three years, it has been great to see Crane’s growth in national technical leadership in its three mission areas of Strategic Missions, Electronic Warfare, and Expeditionary Warfare. I’m proud of the tremendous development to further strengthen partnerships with academia and industry. The dedicated employees here are passionate about serving those who serve.”
Oesterreich had been serving as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Ship Maintenance and Material at Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet in Coronado, California since 2015. The South Holland, Ill. native has dedicated more than 25 years of service to the Navy.
Capt. McKay previously served as the Operations Officer at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine since 2017. Capt. McKay is a Tampa, Florida native with more than 20 years of service to the Navy.
“I’m honored to be the Commanding Officer of NSWC Crane,” Capt. McKay said. “Crane is equipped for continued growth and to provide rapid and robust technical support of the fleet. Capt. Oesterreich has served Crane well over the past three years and I wish him well in his retirement.”
About NSWC Crane
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.
Join Our Team! NAVSEA employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce - from students and entry level employees to experienced professionals and individuals with disabilities. We support today's sophisticated Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, weapon systems and computer systems. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, IT and cyber specialists, as well as trade and other support professionals to ensure the U.S. Navy can protect and defend America. Please contact NSWC Crane Human Resources at crane_recruiting@navy.mil.