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Middle East Logistics Command Changes Leadership

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080719-01
Release Date: 7/19/2008 6:27:00 AM

From Military Sealift Command Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The command responsible for providing air and sea logistics to the U.S. Navy in the Middle East changed leadership July 17 in Manama, Bahrain.

Capt. Stephen H. Kelley accepted command of Sealift Logistics Command Central (SEALOGCENT) from Capt. Anthony H. Dropp, who held the position since July 2007.

Kelley reports to SEALOGCENT from U.S. 2nd Fleet where he served as deputy director of operations and plans.
In his new role as SEALOGCENT's commander, Kelley will also serve as commander, Task Force 53 and commander, Logistics Forces, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. In these roles, he is responsible for coordinating the air and sea delivery of people, mail, cargo, fuel, ammunition and provisions to a fleet of 40-plus U.S. and coalition ships operating in Middle Eastern waters.

"It is my most sincere honor to take the reigns as your commander and the commander of the logistics forces in [Naval Forces Central Command]," said Kelley in his address to his new staff.

Under Dropp's leadership, the command oversaw the distribution of more than 137 million gallons of fuel to ships in theater as well as more than 877 million gallons of fuel to Department of Defense fuel distribution depots. The command also supported more than 1,600 air logistics missions and managed a daily average of 11 ships and 10 aircraft in theater.

"It has been a very rewarding tour," said Dropp. "Although I look forward to my next assignment, I will have nothing but fond memories of my friends and shipmates in 5th Fleet."

Following his tour at SEALOGCENT, Dropp will report to the Defense Intelligence Agency and Defense Language Institute in Washington, where he will receive training in preparation to assume duties as the Naval Attaché in Beijing, China, in the summer of 2010.

SEALOGCENT provides at-sea logistics and strategic sealift services to U.S. and coalition troops operating throughout the U.S. Central Command theater. In their strategic sealift capacity, the command is responsible for overseeing the delivery of nearly 90 percent of all cargo being used by troops operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East.

SEALOGCENT is one of five worldwide operational commands of the Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant civilian-crewed ships. These ships move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners, replenish U.S. Navy and coalition ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance and strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world.

For more news from Military Sealift Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/msc/.