An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

ArticleCS - Article View
NEWS | April 11, 2016

Ronald Reagan Changes Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cody Hendrix

YOKOSUKA, Japan (April 12, 2016) – After more than two years as commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), Capt. Christopher Bolt transferred authority and responsibility of the ship.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve with each and every one of you during my tour,” said Bolt. “I can honestly say this is the finest crew in the Navy, serving on the finest ship in the fleet.  As I transfer command to Capt. Donnelly, I do so with the utmost confidence that you will continue to serve with the same tradition of excellence that I have been so proud of during my time as your commanding officer.”

During Bolt’s tour, from July 2013 to April 2016, Ronald Reagan earned the 2013 Chief of Naval Operations safety and environmental award and three consecutive annual retention excellence awards. In 2014, he led Reagan during the Rim of the Pacific exercise in and around the islands of Hawaii. He led Ronald Reagan in the hull swap with USS George Washington (CVN 73) and brought Reagan to her new home in Yokosuka as the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in 2015.  Bolt led the crew and ship more than 42,000 miles, completing approximately 14,000 aircraft launches and recoveries for the 2015 Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment supporting Carrier Air Wing 5.

"USS Ronald Reagan, led by Capt. Bolt, performed exceptionally throughout the three hull swap, Ronald Reagan’s first deployment as the only Forward-Deployed Aircraft Carrier, and multiple engagements with our partners and allies around the region,” said Rear Admiral John D. Alexander, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70. “He brought great leadership to the crew and effectively managed every task that was sent his way."

Bolt’s next assignment will be at Commander, Naval Air Forces.

Capt. Michael Donnelly accepts command of Ronald Reagan after serving as the commanding officer of USS Denver (LPD 9). Donnelly graduated from Villanova University in 1989 and was commissioned via NROTC.  He is a naval flight officer with more than 3,000 flight hours and 990 carrier landings in F-14 and F/A-18F.

“USS RONALD REAGAN has a terrific history of success and an outstanding culture of pride under Captain Bolt,” said Donnelly. “The mission focus and readiness of the crew, as well as the ship’s seamless transition to become the Navy’s only forward deployed aircraft carrier reflect the clear vision and dedicated leadership that Captain Bolt brought throughout his tour.” 

Ronald Reagan is the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier and provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Translate
 

Google Translation Disclaimer

  • Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
  • All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
  • IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
  • The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.