Rear Adm. Brian Brakke, former deputy director of operations and intelligence integration at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, has assumed a new role as head of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.
The U.S. Navy said Friday Brakke officially took command of NECC from Rear Adm. Frank Morneau during a ceremony at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia.
Morneau also received a Distinguished Service Medal Gold Star end-of-tour award at the ceremony to signify his retirement after 33 years of service, the Navy added.
Brakke said he intends to support distributed fleet operations and logistics based on the Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority guidance of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.
In his former role, Brakke helped provide operational information, intelligence and technology support to combatant commanders as they worked to counter IED threat networks.
He also worked as director of the Counter-IED Operation/Intelligence Integration Center alongside his position at JIEDDO.
He joined the Navy in 1984 and has served as chief of staff of NECC Pacific.
NECC aims to provide expeditionary forces that can be deployed for a range of worldwide military operations and perform sea-to-shore and inland operating environment tasks.
