The time-honored naval tradition of the official passing of authority between officers is a reflection of the spirit and integrity of all Navy men and women, past, present, and future.

The ceremony was presided over by Capt. Dave Webber, Commodore, Navy Recruiting Command Region West. Webber showcased the numerous accomplishments of the command, while paying special tribute to the challenges Collins faced as a commanding officer and his leadership.

“Under Commander Collin’s leadership, NTAG Phoenix shipped nearly 4000 enlisted Sailors and naval officers to the fleet,” said Webber. “To put that accomplishment in perspective, NTAG Phoenix manned the equivalent of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, despite facing the challenges of a global pandemic, a diminishing recruitable market, and historic civic unrest. JC [CDR Justin Collins] is, without question, the most passionate, driven, mission-focused, no-excuses Commanding Officer I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Thank you for your exceptional focus and support, JC.”

Webber also spoke highly of the oncoming commanding officer.

“Commander Kevin “KK” Kahl brings over 22 years of dedicated service to his country to this command,” said Webber. “As the new commanding officer, I look forward to seeing him bring his own brand of leadership, commitment, and teamwork to the Region West recruiting organization. He has already shown himself to be a brilliant, engaged, and vociferous professional. I have full confidence in his abilities to continue NTAG Phoenix’s success.”

During the ceremony, Collins credited the command accomplishments to his Sailors and encouraged the team to continue to strive for excellence as the new commanding officer takes charge.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better team, you are the best in the nation,” said Collins. “Through the many times of uncertainty, I was moved by your personal accountability to persevere and ensure our command made its mission so we could man the fleet. As I turn over this command to Cmdr. Kahl, we need our leaders at all levels within NTAG Phoenix to align themselves with his vision and guiding principles to navigate the myriad of challenges that you will face. Your willingness to operate in excellence with an insatiable appetite to be better has made a personal impact on me, and I ask that every one of you never stop trying to be better.”

NTAG Phoenix’s area of responsibility includes more than 37 Navy Recruiting Stations and Navy Officer Recruiting Stations spread throughout 250,000 square miles of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado.

Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions, 26 NTAGs, and 64 Talent Acquisition Onboarding Centers (TAOCs) serving over 1,000 recruiting stations worldwide. Their mission is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).