Commander Alan M. D’Jock, US Navy, was properly relieved as the commanding officer of Patrol Squadron Five (VP-5) by Commander Joe Levy in a ceremony May 2 in Misawa, Japan. Commander D’Jock, a 1991 graduate of North Garland High School and 1996 graduate of the University of Minnesota, completed his tour as the 65th Commanding Officer of the VP-5 Mad Foxes.
“Leading the sailors of VP-5 has been the absolute highlight of my 19-year naval career. It has been my honor and privilege to be a part of this squadron. I thank my beautiful wife Hayley and my three incredible daughters for always supporting me. I could not have done it without them,” said Commander D’Jock.
VP-5 is currently in the midst of a routine six-month deployment where they are searching for submarines and conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions throughout the Western Pacific and Southwest Asia. They are home-based out of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida and operate the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the Navy’s new state of the art submarine hunter.
The Change of Command tradition in the US Navy dates back to the Civil War, drawing its origins from the practices of ancient seafaring men which were merged into the British Navy by the time of the American Revolution. The smooth transfer of authority and responsibility from one commanding officer to another has long been held as integral to the service’s mission to operate ships and squadrons remotely at sea and overseas, independent of higher headquarters when required. The simple procedure, where one officer relieves another, is replicated daily throughout the world’s navies, as each watch officer passes responsibility to his relief in the conduct of a ship’s routine.
Commander D’Jock has flown almost 3,000 hours in both the P-8 Poseidon and P-3 Orion aircraft. He has earned his master’s degree from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and has accepted orders to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. He is married to the former Hayley Cochran of Pensacola, Florida and they have three beautiful daughters.