(SANTA RITA, Guam) - Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer welcomed a new commanding officer Jan. 31 while visiting Guam during a regularly scheduled deployment.
Cmdr. Jaime Hopkins, a Salem, Oregon, native relieved Cmdr. Vincent A. Fortson as Wayne E. Meyer's commanding officer during a formal ceremony on the ship's flight deck.
"It's an honor to be a part of the Wayne E. Meyer legacy," said Hopkins in her first address to the crew as captain.
Hopkins received her commission through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1999. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Oregon State University and a master's degree in financial management from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Wayne E. Meyer departed San Diego on Jan. 5 for a regularly scheduled deployment. The destroyer is currently operating in the Indo-Pacific region under Destroyer Squadron 1, which is part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group.
In addition to Wayne E. Meyer and Destroyer Squadron 1, the strike group includes aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, Carrier Air Wing 2, USS Michael Murphy, and guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain.
- - posted by Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public
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