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Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller speaks at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller speaks at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller speaks at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller speaks at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

Marines stand at attention with the passing of the color guard during a ceremony marking change of command of Marine Corps Forces Pacific at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

Marines stand at attention with the passing of the color guard during a ceremony marking change of command of Marine Corps Forces Pacific at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

Lt. Gen. David Berger, right, outgoing commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific, passes the colors to incoming commander Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

Lt. Gen. David Berger, right, outgoing commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific, passes the colors to incoming commander Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Maximiliano Rosas/U.S. Marine Corps photo)

Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta, incoming commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific, addresses the audience at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta, incoming commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific, addresses the audience at the change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii — Lt. Gen. Lewis Craparotta assumed command Wednesday of the roughly 86,000 Marines and sailors serving under the Oahu-based Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

In a ceremony held here outside by World War II-era hangars, Lt. Gen. David Berger relinquished command to Craparotta, who was most recently the commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force in Southern California.

Berger now heads to his new assignment as deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for Combat Development and Integration, Headquarters Marine Corps.

Four companies of Marines assembled on the field for the ceremony and were flanked by a phalanx of Ospreys, helicopters and other war machines.

Addressing those Marines and a couple hundred more in the audience, Craparotta said, “I can only promise you 100 percent effort for as long as I’m afforded the privilege of command, and I look forward to serving in your ranks.”

Craparotta commanded 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines from 2001 to 2003; 1st Marine Regiment from 2006 to 2009; and was commanding general of 2nd Marine Division (Forward) from 2010 to 2012.

Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, spoke briefly to the audience that included many military officials from Pacific nations allied or partnered with America.

“For the Marine Corps, the Pacific — this is our place,” Neller said.

“Seventy-six years ago yesterday, members of 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal, and that began a three-quarters-of-a-century commitment by the United States Marines to the Indo-Pacific theater,” he said. “It was on those islands where, with our Navy shipmates and our Army partners, we began our legacy of service.”

To the visiting foreign dignitaries and military officials, Neller said the Marine Corps chooses its “very, very best” to command Pacific operations.

“That’s what we need to do out here to assure our allies and deter any would-be adversaries,” he said. “We’ll be there with you. We’ll be there for you. We appreciate your support for us to be able to train and be ready for whatever the future may bring to us.”

olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson

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Wyatt Olson is based in the Honolulu bureau, where he has reported on military and security issues in the Indo-Pacific since 2014. He was Stars and Stripes’ roving Pacific reporter from 2011-2013 while based in Tokyo. He was a freelance writer and journalism teacher in China from 2006-2009.

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