The ceremonious ringing of a bell signified a changing of the guard for Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA), the Navy’s premiere organization for weapons and explosive safety on July 8.
With the NOSSA Headquarters building on Naval Support Facility (NSF) Indian Head as backdrop,Capt. Todd Siddall, who has commanded NOSSA since February of 2014,turned over the helm to Capt. James Beene. Beene comes to NOSSA following a stint as commanding officer at the Center for Explosive Ordnance, Disposal and Diving (CENEODDIVE) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla.
Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), was the ceremony’s guest speaker.
Speaking to the NOSSA team, Grosklags said, “While it may seem like this ceremony is about these two principles, it’s not. It’s about you— it’s about all the members of NOSSA.”
Grosklags went on to explain how the long-standing tradition of the Navy change of command ceremony emulates its origins in the times of the Roman Legions, as well as the importance of the ceremony to those early Legionnaires.
“When they had a change of command, they wanted to make sure every Soldier in that legion knew who they were following into battle,” Grosklags said.
Grosklags inventoried some of the accomplishments of NOSSA while under Siddall’ s command, including the review of more than 1,000 different packages and requests, and the approval of new weapons and explosives that go into the hands of Sailors and Marines.
“As the Navy’spremierauthority for technical and explosives safety,you havetruly have enhanced our power from the sea,” Grosklags said.
In addition, Grosklags spoke about the web-based explosive qualification certification program that has improved the quality and efficacy of training, along with the thousands of inspections that NOSSA conducted.
“The inspections weren’t the value that was gained,”Grosklags expounded. “Gained were the lessons learned, that you’ve put together and promulgated to other commands so they could address issues.”
Continuing, Grosklags shared how NOSSA played a significant role in strengthening the network of partners throughout the Pacific Area of Operation (AO) and in enhancing the relationship with other partners in the Pacific Area of Responsibility (AOR), including the government of Japan.
Grosklags praised Siddall’s leadership approach as innovative.
“Openness and candor have marked your time in leadership and you have set a standard in the Department of Defense (DoD) explosive safety community that is truly going to be missed,” Grosklags said.
Prior to presenting Siddall with the Legion of Merit, Rear Adm. Thomas Kearney, deputy commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) praised the NOSSA team as an amazing organization whose impact is felt throughout the entire Navy and Marine Corps.
“You [NOSSA] are no shrinking violet. If you have an issue, you throw it on the table and you make sure that it gets wrestled,” Kearney said. “At the end of the day, the buck stops here at NOSSA.”
Siddall thanked Kearney for his support of NOSSA’s mission along with the NOSSA team for their diligence.
“You made it easy to come to work every day,” Siddall said. “You pushed me to learn all that I can and kept me on track, and in some cases kept me in line and I appreciate that.”
Siddall welcomed Beene and his family to the command and wished them the best as they acclimate to their new role at NOSSA.
“I look forward to seeing the next chapter of the great things this command will accomplish,”
Siddall said.
Siddall will continue his career with the Navy at the U.S. Special Operation Command (SOCOM), Washington Liaison Office.
Beene, NOSSA’s incoming commander, shared his perspective gained as a result of his recent time spent familiarizing himself with the people and mission of NOSSA
“I can without hesitation say I have been humbled by the professionalism, expert technical knowledge, individual commitment and passion for the mission that I have seen in every person I have met in NOSSA,” Beene stated.
Beene went on to express his admiration for the extensive mission that the command tackles on a daily basis.
“I have only begun to scratch the surface of the breadth, depth and undertakings within NOSSA,” Beene said. “I pledge to exhaust every effort towards learning as much as I can as quickly as I can so that I can effectively support you in all that you do to execute the many facets of the NOSSA mission.”