NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain –
Cmdr. Gregory DeJute relieved Capt. Paul Murch as officer in charge of Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) Detachment Rota during a change of charge ceremony held onboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, Dec. 15, 2023.
FDRMC commanding officer, Capt. Brian Karosich, presided over the ceremony. Karosich highlighted Murch’s extensive accomplishments as officer in charge, expressed gratitude for his service and presented Murch with the Meritorious Service Medal.
During his two-and-a-half-year tenure, Murch consistently delivered critical readiness to Forward Deployed Naval Forces Europe, overseeing $237 million in maintenance, modernization and repair of the four Rota, Spain-based Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and supporting more than 40 deployed ships in U.S. Sixth Fleet’s area of operation. He led more than 120 Sailors and civilians, working to keeping ships mission ready.
In addition to executing six successful Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) availabilities, Murch oversaw numerous firsts for the Rota detachment including executing two simultaneous CNO availabilities on USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) and USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51). The increased workload included significant structural maintenance and record-setting timelines for Aegis and sonar baseline installations.
Leading in innovation, Murch also increased FDRMC Detachment Rota’s intermediate-level maintenance capabilities working with the Spanish Armada including adding new capabilities, implementing a quality assurance program for intermediate-level maintenance and increasing additive manufacturing use.
Murch spearheaded major improvements for fire response during maintenance availabilities executing eight comprehensive fire drills, acquisition of an incident command post center and increased training for shipboard fire response by 200%.
“The accomplishments of FDRMC Detachment Rota under Capt. Murch’s leadership have been nothing short of extraordinary,” Karosich said. “He adeptly led more than 120 military, civilian and contractor personnel in keeping ships mission-ready as he managed the maintenance and modernization for the four guided-missile destroyers and their ballistic missile defense mission while supporting countless fleet technical assists and emergent voyage repairs of numerous deployed ships across the Sixth Fleet embodying the spirit of innovation and process improvement, directly improving the warfighting readiness of the ships we maintain.”
Murch reflected on his time leading FDRMC Detachment Rota saying, “After spending two and a half years on the highest performing maintenance waterfront in the world, my passion and energy for surface ship maintenance are even stronger. The FDRMC Rota team is world-class and I am privileged to have had the opportunity to work with you”
Incoming officer in charge, Cmdr. Gregory DeJute, is an Engineering Duty Officer and native of Minnesota. He most recently served as the Program Manager’s Representative at Supervisor of Shipbuilding Newport News for USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), undergoing a refueling and complex overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding. He previously served at Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic as the Littoral Type Desk Manager responsible for littoral combat ship, mine countermeasure ship, patrol coastal ship and expeditionary sea base hulls. He qualified as a Naval Aviator and received his Wings of Gold while serving with the Airborne Command & Control Squadron VAW 120.
FDRMC provides emergent, intermediate and depot-level maintenance and modernization for transient and Forward Deployed Naval Forces in U.S. Fifth and Sixth Fleets through fleet technical assistance, voyage repair, contract management oversight, assessments, and diving and salvage.