NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY, Greece (Aug. 4, 2026) Capt. Patrick O’Neill relieved Capt. Stephen Steacy as the commanding officer of U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, during a change of command ceremony onboard the installation Aug. 4, 2026.
Distinguished guests in attendance included His Eminence Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas Titus, Vice Gov, of Chania Nikolaos Kalogeris, Official Representative of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Commodore Athanasios Douros, Deputy Chief of Mission of U.S. Embassy Athens Joshua Huck, alongside host nation officials, U.S. and Greek military leaders, and NSA Souda Bay personnel and their families.
Also in attendance was guest speaker Capt. Christopher Schwarz, Chief of Staff, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, who highlighted the strategic importance of NSA Souda Bay’s mission during the event. He recognized the military members, civilians, and Greek host nation partners whose dedication and professionalism ensure operational success every day.
“Capt. Steacy, your leadership is evident in Souda Bay’s achievements and in the enduring alliance we share with our Greek hosts and counterparts,” said Schwarz. “Your efforts have directly enhanced the lives of our service members, strengthened America’s relationship with Greece, and advanced the Navy’s mission across the region. Thank you for your unwavering dedication and continuous pursuit of excellence.”
Steacy, who assumed command in Aug. 2024, guided the installation through a period of sustained high-tempo operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Under his leadership, NSA Souda Bay executed continuous airfield operations, managed complex port visits, and coordinated multi-department logistics to keep forward-deployed assets mission-ready—including critical, emergent repairs to the aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).
"Reflecting on the last two years, I am incredibly proud of the dedication shown by Team Souda in supporting the Fleet and our joint allies," said Steacy. "From day one, we met a demanding operational tempo directly relying on how we support our personnel, our host nation allies, and the Fleet at large.”
During Steacy’s tenure, NSA Souda Bay reached several key infrastructure and logistical milestones. These included launching the Marathi Logistics Support Center, establishing specialized staging and cold storage capabilities at the NATO Marathi Pier Complex, and opening a consolidated Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) facility featuring a dedicated secure fleet mail center. Groundwork was also laid for future modernization, including a new 95,000-square-foot, two-story Joint Mobility Processing Center designed to process over 30,000 passengers annually and support multiple wide-body cargo and passenger aircraft simultaneously.
But the mission succeeds because of the warfighters, who remained Steacy’s top priority.
“We must continue to invest in our people and our infrastructure, because the planning we do today is an investment in the future, ensuring NSA Souda Bay is ready for whatever comes,” said Steacy. “Over the last few years, we focused on improving the quality of service for our Sailors and Service Members with barracks renovations, expanded 24-hour gym access, and streamlined administrative processes to ensure they have the resources and time needed to execute the mission."
During this period, several base departments and services also received professional recognition, including the 2024 NEX Bingham Award, the NGIS Zumwalt Award, the 2025 Retention Excellence Award, and the 2025 Navy Federal Small Credit Union of the Year. Additionally, the installation's Security Forces were named the 2026 Security Force of the Year for the small installations category, and the Minoan Taverna Galley earned three consecutive annual 5-Star Accreditations.
"Equally vital to our mission is our alliance with Greece," Steacy added. "We do not just share a fence line; we operate as an integrated team. This is evident in our joint training, community outreach, and the professional recognition our departments have earned over the last two years. It has been an honor to lead this capable team in supporting the security and stability of this region. While I will miss this exceptional command, I know NSA Souda Bay is in excellent hands with Capt. O’Neill.”
Capt. O’Neill, a naval aviator hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, arrived in Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, after serving at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and forward deployed in Manama, Bahrain. During his tenure, he served several positions to include, the 5th Fleet Maritime Operations Center (MOC) Current Operations Director, Future Operations Director, the MOC Training Officer, the Executive Assistant, and completed his tour as the Commander’s Action Group (CAG) Director. Upon taking the helm, O’Neill shared his commitment to driving NSA Souda Bay’s legacy of excellence forward and strengthening the vital bonds shared with the local community.
“My family and I are very excited to continue the legacy of the team here in Souda Bay and to live with our Greek allies in this land that is rich with history,” said O’Neill. “Our mission is enduring. We will sustain operations of the Allied forces, U.S. Joint forces, and the Department of War. Additionally, we will receive every service member and partner at Souda Bay with the warmest hospitality and quality services, as demonstrated by our Hellenic partners.”
NSA Souda Bay is an operational ashore installation which enables and supports U.S., Allied, Coalition, and partner nation forces to preserve security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. For more information, visit us at www.cnic.navy.mil/SoudaBay or find us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/NSASoudaBay.
Navy Region EURAFCENT provides mission-critical logistics and support to the warfighter, their families, and the fleet across seven countries, enabling U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to maintain security, stability, and freedom of navigation in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.