Passing the watch: Navy admiral hands over 2 Virginia-based commands, retires after 37 years

Vice Adm. Doug Perry handed over the reins of two key military commands aboard USS Nimitz at Naval Station Norfolk on Thursday, marking a change in leadership and the end of his Navy career.

Perry transferred command of Joint Force Command Norfolk to British army Gen. Nick Perry, who became the command’s first British leader. He also relinquished command of U.S. 2nd Fleet; Rear Adm. Martin J. Muckian, director of maritime operations, will serve as acting commander until a new one is confirmed.

“I am honored to assume command of this remarkable team. Together, we will build on the foundations laid by Admiral Doug,” said Nick Perry, who previously served as the UK’s Chief of Joint Operations, a post he held since November 2024.

The aircraft carrier’s hangar bay was filled with family, friends, sailors and allies whom Adm. Perry thanked for standing by him throughout nearly four decades in uniform.

“I look around and one word comes to mind. And it’s gratitude,” Perry said. “I’m grateful. Profoundly, for the investment so many of you made in me. You trusted me, you challenged me, gave me opportunities and believed in me often before I believed in myself.”

Perry had led both commands since January 2024. He was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal for distinguished service in his NATO duties and the Distinguished Service Medal for meritorious contributions.

“Doug, thank you for your service to our Navy, to our nation, and to the alliance. You stood the watch with honor, courage, and commitment. We wish you fair winds and following seas,” said Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO supreme allied commander and head of U.S. European Command.

Perry’s wife was awarded the Superior Public Service Award, and she and their three daughters also received certificates of appreciation. At the end of the ceremony, one daughter, a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, relieved her father of the watch, signaling his departure from active service.

Senior naval leaders spoke highly of Perry’s service and leadership, praising his dedication to the Navy, his commitment to the alliance and the impact he made on sailors and families throughout his career.

“Sailors lit up when they saw him. And Doug knew them. He knew their names, he knew their hometowns. He knew their families, their stories,” said Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “Doug never allowed rank to create distance between himself and his sailors.”

JFC Norfolk is NATO’s only operational command based in the U.S. and is responsible for protecting strategic sea lines of communication across the Atlantic.

The change of command follows the decision in February to put European officers in charge of all three of NATO’s four-star commands, which lead at the operational level in crisis and conflict.

As the new commander, Gen. Perry said his goal is to “maintain the higher standards of operational excellence, and ensure Joint Forces Command Norfolk remains focused on its fundamental purpose: defending the Alliance and preserving peace through strength.”

U.S. 2nd Fleet oversees naval forces operating in the Atlantic and Arctic. Under Adm. Perry’s leadership, the fleet played a role in Navy commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States this year, including participating in Fleet Exercise 250, Sail250 and the International Naval Review.

Adm. Perry graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 and served aboard ships and submarines throughout his career. His deployment experiences span the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Arctic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, according to his Navy bio.