{"id":45688,"date":"2024-04-05T20:46:13","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T20:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/04\/05\/us-pacific-fleet-gets-new-commander\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:58:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:58:01","slug":"us-pacific-fleet-gets-new-commander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2024\/04\/05\/us-pacific-fleet-gets-new-commander\/","title":{"rendered":"US Pacific Fleet gets new commander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Adm. Stephen Koehler assumed command of U.S. Pacific Fleet on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koehler relieved Adm. Samuel Paparo, who is slated to become the next leader of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command<\/a>, during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no one more ready to lead this fleet,\u201d said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, who presided over the ceremony. \u201cI am absolutely confident that you are the right person at the right time to lead our Sailors in the Indo-Pacific.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koehler, who commissioned in 1986 after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder, became a designated naval aviator in 1989 and has logged more than 3,900 flight hours in F-14 Tomcat and F-18 E\/F\/G Super Hornets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are looking at the world\u2019s greatest warfighters sitting behind me,\u201d Adm. John Aquilino, current commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said during the ceremony. \u201cIn the world\u2019s most concerning theater, against our world\u2019s most dangerous adversaries, what has been chosen to run this theater are our best warfighters. That is not by accident.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t