Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme held a ceremony to mark the change of command for one of its largest divisions on July 17, while also seeing off the former commander as he retired from military service.
The change of command ceremony on the naval base saw Capt. Nicholas Hoffman relieve Capt. Anthony Holmes from his position as commanding officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division.
The command is the largest in the base and provides jobs to more than 3,000 engineers, contractors and active-duty sailors, said Monica James, a spokesperson for the naval base. The base as a whole has its own commanding officer, but so do some of the other commands on the base.
The ceremony is a fairly standard tradition that takes place roughly every three years, James said. This year, however, the ceremony, filled with official naval procedure and traditions, was mixed with emotional speeches and remarks meant to honor Holmes.
Holmes first enlisted in 1988 at the age of 18 and ended his military career as commanding officer of the division, a position he’s held since December 2022.
Holmes spoke before a crowd of his friends, family and colleagues to share stories of his nearly 40-year military career.
Before he was seen off with an official U.S. Navy retirement ceremony, his friends and colleagues presented him with gifts, both personal and those given to retiring U.S. Navy sailors.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Navy captain retires at Port Hueneme after nearly 4 decades
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star | USA TODAY Network
