Monday, July 2, 2018

Traverse City Sailor Successfully Completes Tour as NPASE Commanding Officer

By Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg,
Commander, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. – Navy Public Affairs Support Element (NPASE) held a change of command at Sewells Point Golf Course pavilion, June 29.

Capt. Phil Rosi II, a native of Traverse City, Michigan, was relieved by Capt. Scott Norr, a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, as commanding officer of NPASE.

During his remarks, Rosi spoke of his NPASE crew, “Our Sailors have covered high-profile combat operations, disaster relief and contingency missions and the routine, day-to-day operations of our global Navy. In every mission, NPASE Sailors have expertly documented and showcased the Navy our nation needs today and tomorrow.”

Under Rosi’s leadership, Sailors deployed 37,591 days providing direct public affairs and visual information support to 294 missions worldwide.

Capt. Greg Hicks, chief of information served as the presiding officer and thanked the outgoing and incoming commanding officers for their steadfast service to our nation.

“It is a great pleasure and personal honor to be here with you today, to celebrate the Navy Public Affairs Support Element change of command and to honor these outstanding leaders: Captain Philip Rosi and Captain Scott Norr,” said Hicks.

Today’s ceremony marks the second time Norr will take command of NPASE since its establishment in August 2008.

Norr reflected on accepting the helm from Rosi. “Skipper Rosi, you are a great leader, a great officer, a great friend. One who has stood and answered the call, one who has trained, befriended and led the future of our community, passing down by example the qualities required to lead, instilling the virtues required to succeed.”

In August 2018, NPASE will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its official renaming from Fleet Hometown News Center to NPASE. Today, NPASE serves as the expeditionary Navy public affairs, visual information, and communication integration support capability for fleet-wide assignment.

NPASE, headquartered in Norfolk, has 275 active-duty and reserve Sailors assigned. NPASE oversees three centers and eight detachments worldwide and provides expeditionary public affairs forces supporting the fleet and component commanders with scabale and immediate deployable force packages trained and equipped to support current and emerging public affairs and visual information requirements.

For his next tour, Rosi will report as senior detailer in Millington, Tenn.