Release from US Department of Defense
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SEPT. 7, 2023
The secretary of the Navy and acting chief of naval operations announced today the following assignments:
Rear Adm. Eric C. Ruttenberg will be assigned as reserve deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Ruttenberg is currently serving as reserve deputy for maritime operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Rear Adm. Larry D. Watkins will be assigned as vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa; and Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander Europe, Naples, Italy. Watkins is currently serving as deputy commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Kenneth R. Blackmon, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as vice commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia. Blackmon is currently service as reserve director for maritime operations, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.
Rear Adm. (lower half) David H. Duttlinger will be assigned as deputy for naval construction force, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Duttlinger is currently serving as deputy commander, Naval Facilities, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Robert C. Nowakowski, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as deputy commander, Naval Education and Training Force Development, Pensacola, Florida. Nowakowski is currently serving as reserve vice commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Fifth Fleet, Manama, Bahrain.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark A. Schafer, is assigned as commanding general, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Central, U.S. Central Command, Doha, Qatar. Schafer recently served as commander, Navy Region Korea; commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea; commander, Naval Component, United Nations Commander, Korea, Pusan, Korea.
