KEYPORT, Washington –
Capt. Brandon Monaghan relieved Capt. Clint Hoskins during a change of command ceremony at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport in Keyport, Washington, June 27, 2025. The event took place along the command’s waterfront and was presided over by Rear Adm. Scott Brown, deputy commander for Industrial Operations, Naval Sea Systems Command.
The ceremony began with the arrival of the official party, a parade of colors by the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Color Guard, the singing of the National Anthem by Navy Band Northwest, an invocation by Reverend Jeffrey Flood from Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and welcome remarks from former NUWC Division, Keyport Acting Technical Director Jim Bleich.
Brown presented Hoskins with the Legion of Merit, one of the nation's highest awards for outstanding service. The award was in recognition of Hoskins’ “exceptionally meritorious service” as NUWC Division, Keyport’s commanding officer over the past three years.
“With a guiding philosophy of ‘Winning, Innovating, Learning, Leading,’ Captain Hoskins set the tone for continuous improvement, efficiency, and urgency in the mission areas of undersea weapons, test and evaluation, sustainment, and unmanned undersea vehicles,” stated the award citation. “His superior performance of duties highlights the culmination of 26 years of honorable and distinguished service.”
Before relinquishing command, Hoskins reflected on his tenure and expressed gratitude to the NUWC Division, Keyport workforce.
“No matter your department, pay grade or day job, this command’s achievements are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and expertise of every single member of our Keyport workforce, from Virginia and Pennsylvania, Nevada, Washington and Canada, to Guam, Hawaii and Japan, and everywhere else our employees are working around the world, in every time zone, on any given day,” he said. “It is this team that guarantees America’s undersea warfare superiority, and you are making a difference in more ways than I can count. It has been the honor of my career to serve alongside you.”
Hoskins then read his orders.
Hoskins, a Salt Lake City, Utah native, assumed command of NUWC Division, Keyport on June 24, 2022. An engineering duty officer with a background in nuclear propulsion and systems engineering, he has served on both USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and completed several tours at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, including assignments as Operations Officer and Business & Strategic Planning Officer.
During his tenure, the command leveraged its unique testing ranges in Dabob Bay and its close partnership with the Royal Canadian Navy near Nanoose, British Columbia to accelerate its development of next-generation undersea warfare systems. Hoskins’ leadership, guided by principles of pride, responsibility, inclusion and making a difference, ensured Keyport remained at the forefront of innovation in undersea warfare technologies.
Monaghan read his orders and then addressed the gathering.
“In the short time I have been onboard preparing to assume command, I have been keenly aware of how exceptional this organization is, defined by a legacy of innovation, dedication, and service,” he said. “I am committed to working hard alongside you, overcoming obstacles as a team, and accomplishing the mission, with an unwavering focus on supporting the warfighter, whether that is building torpedoes, managing obsolescence and sustainment, or delivering new capability.”
Monaghan, a Portland, Oregon native, brings a wealth of technical expertise and program management experience to his role as NUWC Division, Keyport's new commanding officer. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and completed a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2005.
His previous assignments include deputy project superintendent for maintenance on the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, assistant program manager for the Modified Virginia Class Subsea & Seabed Warfare Platform in the Advanced Undersea Systems (PMS 394) and Virginia Class Submarine (PMS 450) program offices, and principal assistant program manager, SSN Depot Maintenance, In-Service Attack Submarines program office (PMS 392).
The ceremony concluded with a benediction by Reverend Flood.
NUWC Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/KeyportNUWC/ or https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Keyport/