Presiding over the ceremony was U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, who praised Caudle’s visionary leadership, operational focus, and relentless dedication to enhancing Fleet readiness during a period of rising strategic competition.
“For the last three and a half years, [Adm. Caudle] has served simultaneously in four critical positions – Joint Force Maritime Component Commander, Strategic; Commander, United States Naval Forces – Strategic Command; Commander, United States Naval Forces – Northern Command; and Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command,” said Guillot. “In each role, Admiral Caudle served with distinction – persistently advocating for modernization while emphasizing fleet readiness and wartime preparedness.”
During his tenure, Caudle led a force of more than 138,000 Sailors, over 120 ships and submarines, 1,500 aircraft, seven task forces, and five carrier strike groups. His leadership was instrumental in key initiatives that reshaped the Navy’s approach to training, readiness, and force integration.
Among his many accomplishments, he reshaped Atlantic Fleet operations through the One Atlantic initiative, breaking down legacy command-and-control silos and improving homeland defense while enhancing the Navy’s ability to respond to high-velocity threats in the Atlantic, Arctic, and high north.
Caudle championed the development of Live, Virtual Environments, and Constructive Scenarios (LVC), culminating in the establishment of the Hefti Global LVC Operations Center in 2024. The state-of-the-art facility integrates live and simulated training environments, greatly enhancing warfighter preparedness in high-end conflict scenarios.
Also, Caudle led the Navy’s participation in the Chief of Naval Operations-directed Large Scale Exercises 2023 and 2025, which spanned 22 time zones, component commands, U.S. numbered Fleets, and this year, for the first time, including allies and partners – marking the most extensive naval exercise in more than a generation.
Caudle’s focus on homeland defense led to the creation of Maritime Command Elements East and West, streamlining command-and-control for maritime homeland defense and disaster response operations.
Caudle drove combat-proven readiness across the Fleet, ensuring all deploying units met the highest standards of lethality and performance, demonstrated during major naval engagements in the Red Sea as part of Operations Prosperity Guardian and Poseidon Archer.
In his remarks, Caudle expressed that his proudest accomplishment was the three-year effort that culminated in the Global Maritime Response Plan, a process that leverages combat surge ready units and response conditions to control our escalation of readiness and forces across the spectrum of conflict.
“Leading this extraordinary team has been an honor,” Caudle said. “Your dedication, resilience, and pursuit of excellence have been the driving force behind everything Fleet Forces Command achieved in propelling our Navy forward. You are executing a vital role in force development, force generation and force employment, and that is no doubt a relentless effort.”
As Caudle concludes a tour marked by historic achievements, he leaves behind a legacy of innovation, integration, and strategic foresight that will guide U.S. naval operations for years to come.
