ROTA, Spain –
Cmdr. Joseph Phillips turned over as commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) with Cmdr. William Burke during a change of command ceremony held on Pier 1 at Naval Station Rota, January 01, 2026.
Capt. Kelechi R. Ndukwe, commodore, Destroyer Squadron Six Zero, Commander, Task Force Six Five, was the guest speaker at the ceremony and praised the achievements of Paul Ignatius and its crew under Phillip’s leadership.
During the ceremony, Ndukwe presented Phillips the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding performance since taking over as Paul Ignatius’s commanding officer in August 2024.
During his speech, Phillips thanked his crew, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your captain. I am eternally grateful for your dedication and unwavering commitment to our mission. We answered the call and served with professionalism, and I know this crew and this warship will continue to win. Always Ready. Fight On!”
Phillips took command as the ship was wrapping up a maintenance availability in-port Rota, Spain. Phillips successfully led the crew on Patrol 4.0, 4.1, and 5 to the 6th fleet Area of Operation in support of regional security and stability, traveling more than 29,400 nautical miles. During this time, Paul Ignatius took part in BALTOPS, Dynamic Manta, Operation Firefish, and was urgently tasked to support OAS, completing the transit from the Baltic Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean in 8 days to include a BSF in Rota, Spain. They accomplished multiple Key Leadership Engagements, strengthening interoperability alongside multiple partners, allies and the U.S. Joint Force. His tour concluded with national tasking to conduct a precision strike on terrorist targets in Norther Nigeria.
Phillips is a native of Knoxville, Iowa. He enlisted in the Navy in 1996 as a Fire Controlman earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer and re-designated as a Surface Warfare Officer after earning a Bachelor of Science in Systems Management from Excelsior University. Phillips also holds a Masters’ Degree in Military Studies with a graduate certification in Future Concept Development from Marine Corps University. As a career Surface Warfare Officer, Phillips’ shipboard assignments include USS Essex (LHD 2) and USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) as a Close-In Weapons System and Rolling Airframe Missile technician; USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Mustin (DDG 89) as the Strike Division Leading Chief Petty Officer participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the Bomb Assembly Officer assigned to Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Japan; USS Antietam (CG 54) as the Systems Test Officer; USS Momsen (DDG 92) as the Weapons and Combat Systems Officer, and finally Executive Officer onboard USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), before taking command of the Rota-based destroyer Paul Ignatius.
Phillips heads to COMNAVSURFGRU Europe for his next tour.
Burke is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 2008. He takes command after serving USS PAUL IGNATIUS (DDG 117) as Executive Officer from 2024-2025.
“I am honored to take command of USS Paul Ignatius and join a team of Sailors whose professionalism, discipline, and commitment to mission excellence set the standard for our Navy. Together, we will remain ready, lethal, and trusted—strengthening our alliances from Rota and ensuring maritime security wherever our nation calls.”
Burke will take Paul Ignatius to sea for the first time in support of national tasking later this month and then during its sixth FDNF-E patrol this summer. He will command the ship and crew in executing a myriad of operations in the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility, including Sea Lines of Communication Enforcement, Maritime Interdiction Operations, direct support to NATO combined and Joint operations and exercises, Counter-terrorism operations, counter-piracy operations, Africa Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership operations, whole of government Africa Partnership Station deployment and Theater Security Cooperation Activities in port and underway.
Paul Ignatius is currently pier side at Naval Station Rota in Southern Spain.