Naval Base Kitsap changes leadership, former CO Capt. Massie retires

Leadership changed at Naval Base Kitsap as Capt. John Hale relieved Capt. Richard Massie as commanding officer of NBK in a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor on Friday.

The new commanding officer, Capt. Hale, was assigned as deputy for training at Submarine Squadron 19 on NBK-Bangor before he took the role to lead the Navy’s third-largest fleet concentration area in the U.S., according to a statement from the Navy.

The Kingsport, Tennessee native also served as chief of Nuclear Enterprise Division at United States European Command in Stuttgart, Germany and deputy commander of Submarine Squadron 17. Hale was the Commanding Officer of the Bangor-based USS Kentucky's blue crew from April 2015 to November 2017. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1998, according to the Navy.

“It is my honor and privilege to take command of Naval Base Kitsap where we provide the support and enable those major missions and well as all of the other activities that happen here in support of the fleet, our warfighters, and their families,” Hale said.

Massie retires after serving in the Navy for 30 years. The former commanding officer said he will miss the time working with many in the community and on base.

“It gives me a great deal of pride and satisfaction to finish my three decades of Navy service as commanding officer of Naval Base Kitsap,” said Massie, who assumed command of NBK in September 2021.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Naval Base Kitsap changes leadership, former CO Capt. Massie retires