USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) Conducts Change of Command

by Lt. Brinn Hefron

23 January 2026
SEATTLE, UNITED STATES 

Cmdr. Robert Toohig was relieved by Cmdr. Kyle Fullerton as commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) during a change of command ceremony held at the Vigor Shipyard, Jan. 23. Capt. James H. Hoey, deputy commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, was the presiding officer and guest speaker at the ceremony.

During Toohig’s time in command, Gabrielle Giffords completed a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and participated in several multinational exercises such as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand. Toohig also oversaw the successful merging of two rotational crews into a single unified crew.

“Rob, you have a lot to be proud of from your tenure as Commanding Officer of Gabrielle Giffords. During your deployment to the seventh fleet area of operations, you were OCE – or the officer conducting the exercise – of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, CARAT, Thailand,” said Capt. James H. Hoey, deputy commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One. “There were also several firsts for Gabrielle Giffords throughout your tour, being the first LCS to redeploy, the first to receive the lethality and survivability upgrade, the first to homeport change and establish relations with Commander, Navy Surface Group Northwest... You should be incredibly proud of the course you have set for USS Gabrielle Giffords, thank you for a job well done.”

During the ceremony, Toohig was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his superior accomplishments and will be reporting to the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center.

“A ship that sails the seas is a team unlike any other, one with a unique identity and ethos that begins at commissioning and evolves over her life. That culture is a reflection of her commander, brought to life through the officers, chiefs, and crew who turn vision into action,” said Toohig. “But command does not belong to the officer privileged to hold the title of Captain. It is held in trust, given from those who came before and in a blink of an eye transferred to their successor. Today I pass that sacred trust to Cmdr. Kyle Fullerton...Team Gabby, you represent the best of us. Thank you for stepping up and leading at all levels – almost always on your own initiative.”

Toohig, a native of East Stroudsburg, Pa., has served in the Navy since 1999 and earned a commission through the Seaman to Admiral program and is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University.

Gabrielle Giffords is homeported in Seattle and assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One. Littoral combat ships are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century threats. LCS integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams to support forward-presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/.