Change of Command at NAS Jacksonville: Capt. Cantu retires after 26 yeas in Navy

Naval Air Station Jacksonville conducted its time-honored change of command ceremony Thursday with Capt. Marc Cantu retiring and Executive Officer Capt. Gregory deWindt taking over.

He said he plans to stay in Jacksonville with his family after 26 years in the Navy. He succeeded Capt. Jeffrey Hill in August 2022.

Cantu oversaw many accomplishments at NAS Jacksonville, the third largest installation in the Navy with over 100 unit commands including 17 squadrons, thousands of civilians and sailors, along with their families. The station recently earned Commander, Navy Installations Command’s 2024 Installation Excellence Award as the best large naval installation worldwide.

The base also successfully conducted 170,000 flight operations in support of six strike group pre-deployment exercises and fleet operations. Cantu’s efforts reduced energy consumption across the base by about 10%, saving the Navy roughly $1.2 million in 2023, according to public affairs officer Kaylee Larocque. That included replacing gas-powered government vehicles with hybrid electric vehicles.

Another unique change was the conversion of food service operations from a “galley” to Navy Southeast Region’s first Essential Station Mess, providing nearly 20,000 meals each month for sailors.

Also during Cantu's tenure, the installation championed an innovative Get Fit program that has now been adopted Navy-wide. It consolidates Morale, Welfare and Recreation, Fleet and Family Support Center, Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, and other programs into a monthly event giving sailors a “one-stop shop” for resources.

What is Capt. Gregory deWindt's background?

DeWindt is from Long Island, N.Y., and been in the Navy since 1991. In 2011 he earned a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. In 2017 he completed an executive master of business administration degree from Naval Post Graduate School.

The Navy provided his military experience as follows:

He became a naval aviator in 1998 and joined Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 47 at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. His flying tours include Fleet Replacement Squadron instructor at HSL-41 at NAS North Island, department head at HSL-45 at NAS North Island, executive officer of HSM-37 at Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and commanding officer of HSM-49 at NAS North Island.

At sea he deployed as a first tour pilot with the USS McClusky and USS Fife and as Detachment Three officer-in-charge aboard the USS Halsey. He also served on the USS Tarawa as hangar deck division officer and air department mini-boss and with Carrier Strike Group One as air operations officer aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

Ashore tours include an individual augmentee assignment to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as an assisting military officer supporting administrative review boards and combatant status review tribunals for the Office for the Administrative Review for the Detention of Enemy Combatants; duty with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization where he served as deputy chief for the Counter-IED Operations Intelligence/Integration Center Net Centric Innovation Division and deployed as officer-in-charge for COIC-Afghanistan supporting Joint Task Force Paladin’s counter-threat network analysis; and service with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Two as staff officer and N6 department head. He has also served as inclusion and diversity officer for Commander, Navy Personnel Command at Bureau of Naval Personnel in Millington, Tenn.

NAS Jax in 2015: Celebrating 75 years of service

In August 2022, deWindt assumed the duties of executive officer for NAS Jacksonville. Taking over for him will be Capt. Ryan Dexter.

Rear Adm. Ian Johnson, commander of Navy Region Southeast, did the honors at Thursday's ceremony as the presiding officer. Col. Michael Brennan, commanding officer at Marine Aircraft Group 41, served as the guest speaker.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Naval Air Station Jacksonville conducts change of command ceremony