U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck formally assumed leadership of the Military Sealift Command during a ceremony aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.
He succeeds retiring Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer, who became the 28th MSC commander in June 2019, the service branch announced Friday.
Sobeck most recently served as director of strategy, policy, programs and logistics at the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. As a surface warfare officer, he was assigned to at least six Naval vessels including the USS Harry S. Truman, Destroyer Squadron 50 and the First Combined United States and United Kingdom Destroyer Squadron.
He also commanded DESRON 50/Task Force 55, as well as the USS Avenger, USS Ardent and USS Farragut.
He took on various onshore roles, including as director of future fleet design and architecture at the Office of Chief of Naval Operations, special assistant to the Navy Digital Warfare Office and military assistant to the 76th Secretary of the Navy.
“I am compassionate about our important mission and vow to build upon the many successes of Wett and his team, and continue to push forward to keep MSC the premier logistics organization in the world,” Sobeck commented.
