NAPLES, Italy – Vice Admiral Christopher Grady was relieved by Vice Admiral Lisa Franchetti, in a military ceremony presided by Admiral James Foggo, on board USS Mount Whitney, in Naples, Italy. This ceremony marked the handover of responsibilities as Commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. 6th Fleet.

Vice Admiral Grady took command of STRIKFORNATO on 28 October 2016. During his tenure he was the officer in charge of the first NATO Ballistic Missile Defence Table Top Exercise, as well as FORMIDABLE SHIELD 17, the first exercise in the European theatre to include a no-notice launch of ballistic and air defence targets.

Vice Admiral Franchetti, who was most recently Chief of Staff of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Division for the U.S. Joint Staff, assumed her seventh command, affirming that the "challenges across our dynamic area of responsibility continue to rise, but so too does the strength of our commitment”.

STRIKFORNATO is a rapidly deployable maritime expeditionary headquarters with a unique role within the Alliance. Under permanent operational command to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, STRIKFORNATO is an experienced 3-star led joint battle staff, whose primary mission is to command and integrate U.S. maritime capabilities into NATO operations.