SAN DIEGO – Capt. John Bauer relieved Capt. David Hart as commanding officer of Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) during a change of command ceremony at Naval Base San Diego’s Bainbridge Park, March 5.
Rear Adm. Eric Ver Hage, Commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center and Director, Surface Ship Maintenance and Modernization, Naval Sea Systems Command served as the principal speaker and expressed his gratitude for the job done by Hart.
“His commitment to others is perhaps best highlighted by his drive to keep the employees of SWRMC safe and healthy while still executing the mission during this pandemic,” says Ver Hage. “Ship repair work can’t wait, and it can’t be done remotely. Hart and the rest of the SWRMC leadership have gone to great lengths to protect the workforce and arm them with the knowledge and tools to keep them on the job.”
Hart assumed command of SWRMC on June 2, 2017, to lead a team of more than 2,500 officers, Sailors, civilians and contractors. During his command, SWRMC supported the maintenance and modernization needs of over 50 surface ships in the Pacific Fleet through availabilities, emergent support, Fleet Technical Assists, and intermediate maintenance. He will report to Program Executive Officer Ships, in Washington, D.C. for his follow-on tour.
“The accomplishments over the past 45 months highlight what an impressive team we have at SWRMC. You have shown your dedication to the mission as we have adjusted to working in a pandemic while still supporting the needs of the fleet,” said Hart. “I cannot thank you all enough for this hard work.”
Bauer is reporting to SWRMC after completing a successful tour as officer-in-charge for the DDG 1000 Class Post Delivery efforts, overseeing the Combat Systems Activation and Post-Shakedown Availabilities for DDG 1000 and DDG 1001 in San Diego.
Ver Hage expressed his confidence in Bauer’s leadership, saying that his previous experience “has set the foundation for him up to take the helm and deliver superior ship maintenance, modernization, technical support and training for the Pacific Fleet.”
Bauer’s past assignments include First Lieutenant onboard USS Grapple (ARS 53), Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center, Yokosuka, Japan; one year IA tour as the Security Officer for J9 with the U.S. Army in Baghdad, Iraq; and project manager in the Naval Sea Systems Command Underwater Ship Husbandry Department in Dubai. He also served as Division Head for amphibious ship and carrier maintenance at Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center where he completed the first Joint Strike Fighter modernization package aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1), OIC for Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center, Detachment Bahrain, and program manager representative for the DDG 1000 Class at Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Bath, Maine, where he successfully delivered USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001).
“The maintenance, modernization, and sustainment of the ships in the fleet are core functions in the success of our Navy,” said Bauer. “The challenges facing us today are rapidly evolving. We will work together with our industry partners to successfully meet our mission – striving to meet the goals and overcome challenges along the way through innovative and efficient solutions.”
SWRMC is meeting its mission to provide superior ship maintenance, modernization, technical support, and training for the Pacific Fleet.
For more information on SWRMC, please visit https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/RMC/SWRMC.