COMMANDER, NAVAL SURFACE GROUP SOUTHEAST HOLDS CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY
16 September 2025
MAYPORT NAVAL BASE --
MAYPORT, Fla. (Sept. 12, 2025) – Capt. Anthony James relieved Capt. Aaron Anderson as Commander, Naval Surface Group Southeast (CNSG SE) during a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Mayport, Sept. 12.
“Leading Naval Surface Group Southeast has been a privilege, but the credit for our success belongs to the Sailors and civilians who drive warfighting excellence every day,” said Capt. Anderson. “Together we strengthened maintenance, training, and deployment execution so our ships and crews remain lethal, resilient, and ready to fight and win on arrival.”
During Capt. Anderson’s tenure, the staff transitioned from Commander, Naval Surface Squadron 14 (CNSS-14) to Commander, Naval Surface Group Southeast. CNSG SE subsequently took on expanded roles and responsibilities, becoming directly responsible for the training, inspections, and readiness of all guided-missile destroyers homeported in the Mayport basin.
The ceremony was presided over by Rear Adm. Joe Cahill, commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic.
“Commodore Anderson demonstrated exceptional leadership, as the surface group built and sustained the combat readiness of the 12 Mayport Destroyers,” said Rear Adm. Cahill. “From sustained combat operations in the Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean over the last two years to Homeland defense this team built and sustained destroyers that were ready on arrival to fight and win. His dedication to building a lethal and ready team has had a significant and lasting impact on the entire Surface Force. Excellent execution defines his tenure.
Under Capt. Anderson’s leadership, CNSG SE remained steadfast in its advocacy for ships in the Mayport basin, ensuring they received the necessary material support, maintenance, and training to produce lethal, combat-ready ships prepared to execute the Navy’s most crucial missions.
Capt. Anderson oversaw 16 deployments, and four surge deployments. Seven Mayport destroyers deployed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility, operating mostly in the Red Sea, including USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Mason (DDG 87), who were among the first ships to intercept land attack cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launches by Houthi forces toward Israel from 2023-2024.
More recently, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) executed a surge deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of responsibility to conduct counternarcotics operations, demonstrating the multi- mission capability of the guided-missile destroyer.
Committed to excellence in maintenance as well, Capt. Anderson’s staff oversaw three major availabilities, two of which required hurricane sorties while in execution, and four ISRAs demonstrating the effectiveness of a new maintenance model to keep warships mission ready. Prior to assuming command, Capt. James served as deputy commadore for CNSG SE.
“Naval Surface Group Southeast is the gold standard for readiness, operational excellence, and teamwork across the Fleet,” said Capt. James. “I am committed to ensuring our Mayport warships are well trained and materially ready to execute our nation’s tasking.”
Naval Surface Group Southeast is the Type Commander (TYCOM) executive agent and the administrative Immediate Superior in Command for 12 guided-missile destroyers homeported at Naval Station Mayport.