INDIAN ISLAND — Cmdr. Nicholas Vande Griend is the new commanding officer of Naval Magazine Indian Island, which stores and assembles munitions for the Pacific Fleet.
Vande Griend, who most recently served as the electronic warfare action officer at U.S. Strategic Command, succeeds Cmdr. Michael Yesunas, who had served at Indian Island for the past 2½ years.
Vande Griend assumed control of the facility, which is 4 miles from Port Hadlock, during a change-of-command ceremony Thursday morning at the Indian Island ammunition pier, located on the east side of Port Townsend Bay.
The ceremony was not open to the public.
The heart of the ceremony was the formal reading of official orders, with command of the installation being handed over when Vande Griend said, “I relieve you, sir,” and Yesunas responded, “I stand relieved.”
“Today is really about Mike,” Vande Griend said during the ceremony.
“I just want to thank you for the work you have done over the past two years. You have executed the mission flawlessly under your leadership. And through that, the readiness of our fleet was certainly in a better state,” Vande Griend said.
Yesunas “also paved the way for continued development here at Indian Island — the facilities we need to continue our safe and efficient operations for years to come,” Vande Griend said.
Vande Griend, who is expected to serve for about two years, is responsible for about 150 personnel who work at the 7-square-mile facility, including members of the military, civilians and contractors.
Beginning in August, Yesunas will pursue a master’s degree at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C.
“Indian Island’s contribution to national security is significant,” Rear Adm. Jeff Ruth, commander of the Navy Region Northwest, said during the ceremony.
When a ship or aircraft is tasked with putting ordnance on target in defense of our nation, “it is places like Nav Mag Indian Island and the many talented people that work here that deliver that specific capability to ensure the Navy’s ability to project power around the globe,” Ruth said.
Ruth praised Yesunas’ work, saying he “oversaw Nav Mag as it did what it does best, and that is provide ordnance to the fleet.
“Under his command, Nav Mag met every scheduled mission, always providing 100 percent of the requisite ordnance and always doing so on time.
“Most importantly, all this was accomplished without incident or serious personal injury.”
The base annually handles about 40,000 tons of ordnance — small-arms ammunition, artillery shells and missiles, according to Liane Nakahara, Naval Magazine Indian Island spokeswoman.
Yesunas attributed his success to those serving under his command.
“You have taught me how to be a better officer, a better leader [and] helped me expand my knowledge about the people who provide the logistics backbone of the fleet.
“Your reputation for being the pacesetters in the Pacific has been well-deserved.”
Yesunas also urged continued community outreach.
“Continue challenging yourselves to be good neighbors and work together as I have experienced over my time here,” he said.
To highlight the commitment, Yesunas gave two men at the facility, Mark Durben, chief master at arms, and Joe Ramirez, master of arms first class, outstanding volunteer service medals for community service.
Under Yesunas’ command, Naval Magazine Indian Island received Platinum-Level Secretary of the Navy Energy and Water Management Awards in 2013 and 2014, the Chief of Naval Operations Shore Safety Award for small industrial command in 2013 and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Program Star flag site designation this year.
Yesunas said he was pleased Vande Griend was chosen as his successor.
“The hope is that the command will always continue to improve, so they picked somebody that is hopefully going to do better than the outgoing guy, so I think it is a great pick,” Yesunas said.
Vande Griend, a native of northwest Iowa, started his Navy career in 1987 as an aviation electrician’s mate. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University in 1998 and earned his wings at flight school in 1999.
The following year, he completed Joint Aviation Electronic Warfare School, followed by training and qualification in the EA-6B Prowler at Whidbey Island.
He served in various squadrons at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island throughout his career and had deployments aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS John C. Stennis and USS Ronald Reagan.
Vande Griend said he will focus on ensuring munitions are delivered to the fleet safely and on time.
“The fleet’s readiness depends on our ability to accomplish our mission, and I am going to make sure that we [provide] the very best product possible,” he said.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
