FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Defense Logistics Agency Energy officially re-established the Energy Okinawa command during a change of command ceremony at Camp Shields, Okinawa, Japan, on Aug. 12, 2026.
Navy Rear Adm. George Bresnihan, commander of DLA Energy and the ceremony's presiding official, oversaw the transition of leadership as Air Force Major Christopher Price turned over command to incoming commander Air Force Lt. Col. Michael McFadden.
McFadden, a logistics officer with 21 years of service, served as the commander of DLA Energy Pacific South in Canberra, Australia. There, he managed the bulk petroleum supply chain across Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia and the Indian Ocean.
The ceremony marks more than a traditional passing of the colors; it represents the strategic re-establishment of DLA Energy Pacific Okinawa. The decision reverses a previous move that created DLA Energy Pacific South (Australia) and moves the command back to Okinawa Prior to the move, a liaison position was established in Australia to ensure support to that critical location.
"This decision was in no way, shape, or form an indictment of our operations," Bresnihan said during his remarks. "Rather, it is a direct recognition of Energy Okinawa’s critical, unmatched importance to this entire theater... Leadership is simply not something that can be done effectively from thousands of miles away."
DLA Energy Pacific Okinawa operates a critical node in the Department of Defense's logistics network. The facility is the only overseas government-owned and operated Defense Fuel Support Point directly managed by DLA.
"Our team is responsible for capabilities found nowhere else in DLA Energy," McFadden noted. "Preserving those specialized capabilities while continuing to deliver reliable energy support is both a responsibility and an opportunity."
Despite the challenging operating environment, the dedicated civilian and military team on Okinawa has achieved operational milestones. Over the last two years, the team has executed 288 bunker, tanker and pipeline operations, moved more than 142 million gallons of fuel and synchronized complex interagency efforts to harden the region's critical energy infrastructure.
"Energy is no longer just a tactical commodity, it is an operational and strategic enabler," McFadden said. "The Pacific’s vast geography, extended supply lines and dispersed forces demand an agile posture. Every gallon of fuel we deliver contributes directly to deterrence, readiness, humanitarian assistance and, if called upon, combat capability."
Note: Generative AI assisted in drafting this story, which was thoroughly researched, reviewed and edited by War Department personnel.