WASHINGTON – Adm. Thad W. Allen will be relieved by Adm. Robert J. Papp, Jr., as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard during a military change of command ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, 11 a.m., at Fort Lesley J. McNair. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will preside over the event.
A change of command ceremony is a time-honored naval tradition, which formally restates the continuity and authority of command and is unique in the world today. It involves the total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another.
