Submarine squadron gets new commander

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - A change of command ceremony was held Friday for the commander of Submarine Squadron Six onboard the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Montpelier.

Capt. Blake Converse relieved Eugene E. Sievers as commander of the Submarine Squadron Six. Sievers served as commander since September 2010 and retired following the ceremony.

"The Norfolk team enjoys a fantastic partnership with a world-class repair organization and a flexible and effective training center which continually stays at the cutting edge of tactics and procedures to prepare the ships and facility here," Sievers said. "This training team time and again met nearly impossible timelines and workload to deploy the ships in outstanding material condition."

SUBRON SIX controls seven Los Angeles-class submarines based in Norfolk. The squadron staff maintains responsibility for training and preparing their submarines and crew in all facets of operations, including tactical and operational readiness for war, inspection and monitoring, nuclear and radiological safety, and development and control of submarine operating schedules.