Rear Adm. (Select) Thomas G. Wears will relieve Rear. Adm. David C. Johnson as commander of Naval Undersea Warfare Center headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 4 in the Naval Undersea Museum auditorium in Keyport.

“This is the first time that a NUWC headquarters change of command ceremony will be hosted here at Keyport,” said Capt. Stephen Iwanowicz, commander of NUWC Division Keyport. “We have worked on torpedo programs with Rear Adm. Wears during his tenure as the program executive officer for undersea weapons and we very much look forward to having him as our 12th Naval Undersea Warfare Center commander.”

Wears is a 1983 graduate of the University of Missouri Navy ROTC Program with a degree in mechanical engineering, according to NUWC Division Keyport. He also has a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College, a master’s degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University and a Level 3 certification in program management from the Defense Acquisition University.

Wears’ sea tours include various division officer assignments aboard the USS Henry Clay, engineer officer aboard USS Ray, and executive officer aboard USS Groton. He also served at Submarine Squadron 18 in Charleston, S.C.; Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board in Norfolk, Va.; and on the staff of the Chief of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C. as the nuclear enlisted community manager.

In February 2001, Wears assumed command of the USS Alabama’s blue crew where he served until July 2003, according to NUWC Division Keyport. He also served as the deputy commander of Submarine Squadron 17 and Submarine Squadron 19 at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

Wears’ acquisition assignments include undersea technology program manager for Naval Sea Systems Command, joint test and evaluation test director, and undersea weapons program manager.

Wears has received the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal.

Johnson became commander of NUWC headquarters in September 2008 and serves as the deputy commander for undersea technology at NAVSEA. Following the change of command, he will continue in his current NAVSEA position.