By USS Nimitz Public Affairs
EVERETT — Capt. Jeffrey S. Ruth will take command of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) from Capt. Paul O. Monger during a ceremony on March 29 at 10 a.m. aboard the aircraft carrier while in port at Naval Station Everett.
Rear Adm. Peter A. Gumataotao — Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11— will be the guest speaker.
Monger assumed command of the Nimitz in August of 2009 and led the ship through an eight-month deployment, during which the ship launched more than 2,600 combat missions in direct support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Under Monger’s leadership, the Nimitz steamed more than 77,000 nautical miles, safely completed more than 12,000 aircraft sorties and successfully completed a rigorous Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) material inspection. Under Monger’s watch, the Nimitz also completed a 15-month, $239 million, 700,000 man-days Docking Planned Incremental Availability — a most successful maintenance availability package completed at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The ship also conducted two changes of home port within a 12-month period, relocating more than 3,000 Nimitz sailors and families from San Diego, Calif., to Bremerton, Wash., then to Everett.
During Monger’s tenure, the Nimitz earned the Adm. Vern Clark Unit Safety Award in 2010, its sixth consecutive Golden Anchor Award, the Capt. Ney Food Service Award for 2010, the 2010 AIMD Black “E,” its seventh and eighth consecutive medical Blue “M,” and a second consecutive Green Safety “S.”
Prior to arriving to the Nimitz, Ruth commanded the U.S. Sixth Fleet’s flagship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20). He entered the nuclear power training pipeline in July of 2006 and served as executive officer of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) from March of 2008 to December of 2009. Ruth was born in Key West, Fla., grew up in San Diego, and graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering. He reported to flight school at Naval Air Station Pensacola later that year, and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in January of 1988.
