{"id":27359,"date":"2018-08-25T00:08:15","date_gmt":"2018-08-25T00:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/25\/back-to-the-future-with-2nd-fleet\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:29:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:29:44","slug":"back-to-the-future-with-2nd-fleet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/08\/25\/back-to-the-future-with-2nd-fleet\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to the future with 2nd Fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NORFOLK, Va. \u2014 There\u2019s a new sheriff in town and his name is Woody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he doesn\u2019t wear a cowboy hat or ride a horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019s Vice Adm. Andrew \u201cWoody\u201d Lewis<\/a>, a highly decorated combat aviator, and he took command of the Navy\u2019s newly re-established 2nd Fleet<\/a> during a Friday ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His beat now is what strategists increasingly say is America\u2019s backdoor \u2014 the Atlantic Ocean \u2014 and it now will be patrolled by his Norfolk-based 2nd Fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Cold War with Russia grew cooler in early 1950, the Navy created the 2nd Fleet to check Moscow\u2019s designs on the Atlantic Rim, especially Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy disbanded it in 2011<\/a> and folded most of its personnel, warships and responsibilities into Fleet Forces Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increasing activity by the Russians in the North Atlantic and in Europe prodded Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson to revive it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are some bad actors on the world\u2019s stage,\u201d Lewis told the crowd. \u201cWe call them competitors in our strategic documents. They intend to undermine and rewrite the order that America established at the end of World War II and threaten the very birthright freedoms that we hold sacred.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t