USS Fitzgerald Undergoes Change of Command
By ENS William M. Morrison, USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) Public Affairs

With the ships Officers, Chiefs and Sailors on the stage, the crew of guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) conducted a Change of Command ceremony on May 18 at the Yokosuka Fleet Theater. During the ceremony Cmdr. Dennis Velez relieved Cmdr. Richard Dromerhauser as commanding officer of Fitzgerald.

“To command is to serve — nothing more and nothing less,” said Dromerhauser as he addressed the Sailors. “I have been inspired by your sacrifice, strengthened by your skill, and humbled by your dedication and service. The incredible success of this ship is your doing.”

During Dromerhauser’s tour, Fitzgerald participated in seven multinational exercises and two international fleet reviews. Fitzgerald was, also, selected to represent the 7th Fleet during the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao, China, where the ship hosted both U.S. and Chinese Chiefs of Naval Operations and numerous government and military dignitaries from 22 nations.

In addition to three consecutive Battle Efficiency Awards, the ship received consecutive Unit Tactics, Anti-Submarine Warfare Bloodhound, and Retention Excellence awards in 2008 and 2009. The missile defense, anti submarine warfare, special mission, and international engagement ship of choice, his command excelled during all of these missions.

For Dromerhauser, a native of New York, this was his second command of a Navy ship. He served as the commanding officer of USS Tempest as a lieutenant. During tours on six ships, he participated in numerous Carrier and Expeditionary Strike Group deployments to Western Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Western Pacific, and Arabian Gulf. An Operations Research sub-specialist with Systems Analysis sub-specialty experience, Dromerhauser graduated from the U.S.

Naval Academy and Naval Postgraduate School with degrees in Engineering, Operations Research, and Systems Analysis. He is a Joint Qualified Officer, having graduated from both the Armed Forces Staff College and Air Command and Staff College.

Additionally, Dromerhauser completed shore tours with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Navy Personnel Command. Dromerhauser assumed command of USS Fitzgerald on Oct. 31, 2008. He will return to the Navy Personnel Command for his next assignment.

Velez will become the ship’s tenth commanding officer. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering. He later earned a Master’s Degree in Information Technology Management.

Velez’s previous sea tours include USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Carr (FFG 52), USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75). His shore assignments include Officer In Charge of Western Hemisphere Group Caribbean Area Coordinator in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, where he provided logistical support to all naval forces operating in the Caribbean and Latin America. Velez also served as Surface Placement Branch Head and Deputy Director for Surface Warfare Distribution for the Naval Personnel Command.