A new command took control of all shore-based Navy installations Wednesday, relieving mission commanders of base support responsibilities such as housing and streamlining base management, according to Navy reports.
Commander, Navy Installations — or CNI — now oversees almost 100 shore installations through 16 regional hubs, according to reports. Among the hubs are Japan and South Korea.
The change means Pacific shore commands, such as Commander, Naval Forces Japan and Commander, Naval Forces Korea, no longer will fall under Pacific Fleet in Hawaii for their base support.
CNI consolidates several commands to allow one centralized body to dictate policy and manage resources, according to Navy reports. The change, said Cmdr. John Wallach, CNFJ spokesman, “will be transparent at the base level. We now go to a different boss for base support resources.”
The new command will control funding for services like base housing, Morale, Welfare and Recreation and security. No jobs or services will be lost or gained in the realignment, Wallach said.
CNFJ and CNFK operational missions still will fall under Pacific Fleet; the change does not affect 7th Fleet.
Rear Adm. Christopher Weaver will lead the new command.
“Mission commanders can now be focused on their missions while the non-mission issues, such as security and flightline operations, will be handled regionally,” Weaver said in a Navy release.
“The bottom line for the Navy is that our installations really are part of our combat power. Gradually, we are incorporating this concept into the way we build our forces. So the average sailor, the average Marine should not see a big difference except for improved service over time.”
He added that the changes have been in the pipeline for several years.
Other services have had similar realignments. The U.S. Army’s Transformation of Installation Management, implemented this year, separates funding for Army installations and operations. Base operations also are handled by one centralized command.
The new Navy command becomes activated Thursday. Its effects might not be felt immediately, Wallach said, but “in the long term, there will definitely be efficiencies achieved from this realignment.”
