In the presence of Kydonias Titos, the handover ceremony of the Command of the Souda Naval Basetranslated

The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronou, Mr. Titos, attended, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the official handover ceremony of the U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay. During the ceremony, Captain Patrick C. O'Neill assumed the duties of Commanding Officer, succeeding Captain Stephen D. Steacy, who completed his two-year term at Souda.

The ceremony was attended by, among others, the Deputy Governor of Chania, Mr. Nikolaos Kalogeris, the official representative of the Chief of the General Staff of the National Defense, Captain Athanasios Douros, the Deputy Head of the Diplomatic Mission of the United States Embassy in Athens, Mr. Joshua Huck, as well as representatives of the local authorities, the Greek and American military leadership, officials of the Base and members of their families.

The keynote speaker was Captain Christopher Schwarz, Chief of Staff of the Naval Region Europe, Africa and Central Command, who referred to the strategic importance of the Souda Naval Base and praised the contribution of the outgoing Commander, as well as the cooperation between American forces,…