Task Force 56 Holds Change of Command
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Lynn Andrew
| February 07, 2021
MANAMA, Bahrain – Capt. Joseph K. Haywood relieved Capt. Stephen J. Jackson as commodore of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 56 onboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Feb. 4.
Vice Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, commended Jackson’s leadership and the important role CTF 56 provides in the region.
"The mission of CTF 56 remains vital to continued stability and security in this region,” said Paparo. “During his command, Commodore Jackson enthusiastically employed forward-thinking to make his command better, and set the task force up for sustained success far into the future. Both Capt. Haywood and Jackson’s expertise, professionalism and foresight provide our allies and partners with the continued ability to enhance maritime security in the region and beyond.”
Jackson is reporting to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) as head of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Branch to Director of Expeditionary Warfare for the Chief of Naval Operations.
Haywood is reporting to CTF 56 from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), where he served as the Chief of Humanitarian Mine Action and Explosive Ordnance Disposal under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict.
CTF 56 commands and controls the employment of tactical Navy expeditionary combat forces in order to maximize U.S. 5th Fleet’s lethality throughout the maritime domain. The task force encompasses eight task groups whose missions range from explosive ordnance disposal and Navy diving, Naval construction forces and expeditionary logistics support, maritime interdiction operations and maritime security, to embarked security teams and combat camera. CTF 56 has more than 600 Sailors and Soldiers on six bases in 3 countries strategically placed around the 5th Fleet area of responsibility to support the warfighting effort.