Rear Adm. Dale Horan, formerly Joint Staff deputy director for operations (J3) at the Pentagon, has officially taken command of Carrier Strike Group 8 during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
The U.S. Navy said Friday Horan will be responsible for CSG 8’s eight ships and one air wing, including the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group.
He succeeded Rear Adm. Bret Batchelder, who has been assigned as the new commander of Naval Warfare Development Command in Norfolk.
Horan commanded Carrier Air Wing 9 during its deployment on the USS John C. Stennis as part of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom.
He is a naval aviator who has logged more than 3,460 flight hours and flown the F-14A and F-14B Tomcat with Fighter Squadron 142 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the F-14D with the VFA-2 aboard USS Constellation.
