ONI Change of Command

 
(Suitland, MD 7 April 2016) In a traditional Navy ceremony at Suitland, MD on 7 April, Rear Admiral Elizabeth Train was relieved as the Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and Director, Naval Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO) by Rear Admiral Robert (Bob) Sharp. The Navy’s Vice Chief of Naval Operations, ADM Michelle Howard was the guest speaker and also present and providing remarks was the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (LTG, USAF, Retired). Both ADM Howard and Director Clapper were effusive in their praise for RADM’s Train’s leadership during her 30 months in command. ADM Howard presented RADM Train the Navy’s Distinguished Service Medal while Director Clapper presented her with the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal. RADM Train’s father, retired Admiral Harry Train, and his wife other members of the Train family attended the event.

RADM Train will retire on 1 June, having completed 33 years of service since her commissioning through Officer Candidate School in 1983. She served in numerous joint, afloat and shore operational intelligence assignments and deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. Train’s operational assignments include duty as air intelligence officer, Patrol Squadron (VP) 19, deputy assistant chief of staff for intelligence, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 4; assistant chief of staff for intelligence, Amphibious Group (CPG) 2; and Director for Operations, Joint Intelligence Task Force-Combating Terrorism (JITF-CT). Ashore, Train served as aide to the director of Naval Intelligence; deputy assistant chief of staff for intelligence, Commander, U.S. Naval Surface Forces Pacific; operations officer, Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific; executive assistant to the director for intelligence, U.S. Pacific Command; deputy assistant chief of staff for intelligence (Fleet Support), commander U.S. Pacific Fleet; director, Intelligence Community Management Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and commander, Navy Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center and Center for Naval Intelligence.

RADM Sharp is also a career Naval Intelligence officer and was commissioned through OCS in 1988. His most recent assignment and initial position as a flag officer was as the Director of Intelligence at US Special Operations Command. His previous operational tours include deployments with USS Ranger (CV61), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 embarked on USS Constellation (CV 64) and Carrier Group 2 embarked on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Additionally, he conducted multiple deployments to Afghanistan as a J2 of Special Operations Task Force, leading joint, inter-agency intelligence professionals supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sharp’s shore tours include assistant intelligence officer for Commander Naval Air Forces, Pacific, instructor duty at the Fleet Intelligence Center, Pacific, targeting officer on the Joint Staff, intelligence operations officer with U.S. Fleet Forces Command, director of intelligence for Naval Special Warfare Development Group, director of intelligence and deputy director for the Maritime Operations Center for Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and senior fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Strategic Studies Group. He commanded Joint Intelligence Center, U.S. Central Command from August 2010 to August 2012.