Commander Angela Francis was relieved by Commander Dominic DiMaggio as Commanding Officer, Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), in a ceremony at the historic USS UTAH memorial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Aug. 5.
 
Dozens of civilian and military guests gathered to bid fair winds and following seas to Francis, as she departs after more than two years in command, and to welcome DiMaggio as the new commander. The Change of Command ceremony is not prescribed specifically by U.S. Navy Regulations, but rather is a time-honored naval tradition. The ceremony’s guest speaker was Captain Kate Hermsdorfer, commander, Fleet Weather Center San Diego.


 
Francis, a native of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was commissioned in May 2003 from Texas A&M University as a member of the Corps of Cadets. She has served both at sea and ashore including as the Senior METOC Officer at Indo-Pacific Command before reporting as Commanding Officer of JTWC.
 
“Dom, this special place is all yours now. Two years will go in the blink of an eye, and in no-time you will be sitting here; trying to find the words to convey how special this place is.” said CDR Francis, outgoing commanding officer, JTWC)
 
Francis has been selected to serve as the Executive Officer at Fleet Weather Center Norfolk. She expressed her immense appreciation and pride to Joint Typhoon Warning Center for the accomplishments they achieved under her charge.
 
DiMaggio was born in New Jersey but calls Arkansas home. He holds a Doctorate degree in Physical Oceanography and previously served as Senior Meteorology and Oceanography Officer at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command before reporting to JTWC.
 
“JTWC has a long and prestigious history of assuring safe and effective Joint Force operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region. I am proud to join this team of world class professionals and am excited for the years to come.” said DiMaggio. 

A change of command is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commander to another. It is designed to publicize to the officers, men and women of the command the absolute transfer of authority. The passing of colors, standards, or ensigns from an outgoing commander to an incoming one ensures that the unit and its service members and civilians are never without official leadership.
 
JTWC is jointly staffed by U.S. Navy and Air Force personnel and falls under the operational control of Commander, Task Group 80.7/Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command under Fleet Weather Center San Diego. U.S. Air Force personnel are administratively assigned to the 17th Operational Weather Squadron (OWS), a subordinate squadron of the 1st Weather Group and the 557th Weather Wing.
 
Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s mission is to enable effective Fleet and Joint Force planning and operations through tropical cyclone (TC) forecasts, warnings, and environmental decision support to U.S. assets in the Pacific and Indian Oceans as established by Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
 
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