Vice Adm. George Wikoff addresses sailors and coalition leaders during a change-of-command ceremony in Bahrain on Sunday. Rear Adm. Curt Renshaw succeeded Wikoff as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes)
A high-ranking officer who has served more than three decades and has deployed to all Navy theaters of operation worldwide recently took the helm of one of the service’s most active combat regions.
Vice Adm. Curt Renshaw assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet from Vice Adm. George Wikoff on Sunday in a ceremony at U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, presided over the ceremony, the Navy said in an email Monday.
Wikoff took charge of NAVCENT/5th Fleet in February 2024 as attacks on commercial shipping by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen intensified in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The assignment marks a return to familiar waters for Renshaw, who previously served in Bahrain as deputy commander for NAVCENT from 2019 to 2021. He most recently was director of operations for U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla.
Renshaw’s sea tours included assignments aboard the cruisers USS Shiloh and USS Anzio. He commanded the cruiser USS Robert Smalls, where he also served as air defense commander for Task Force 70. He also previously commanded Carrier Strike Group 8, according to his Navy biography.
In his first address as NAVCENT commander, Renshaw emphasized readiness and unity.
“Every drill, every evolution, every moment of preparation is a direct investment in our collective ability to respond, to deter and, if necessary, to win,” Renshaw said. “Our readiness is the shield that protects our interests.”
The command must remain forward-thinking in an era of rapid change, he added.
“We will not be ready for the next fight if we prepare for the last one,” Renshaw said.
Wikoff, a career fighter pilot, was confirmed in August for promotion to admiral and is slated to assume command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples.
Before arriving in Bahrain, he served as acting commander of Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Wikoff praised sailors at sea and the teams that supported them from headquarters, saying their efforts saved lives even when combat unfolded far from shore.
“Together we understand maritime security is not just a task; it’s our duty,” he said. “By continuing to work together, regardless of flag, we demonstrate the sum is better than the parts and the consequences of collective failure are catastrophic.”
