USS Topeka Holds Change of Command
By COMSUBRON Eleven Public Affairs

Release Date: 04/15/2010

(NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, California) - Commander Michael D. Bratton relieved Commander Marc A. Stern as commanding officer of USS Topeka (SSN 754) during a pier side ceremony on Naval Base Point Loma April 15. 

Captain Brett Genoble, commander, Submarine Squadron 11 was the guest speaker. 

Under Stern's command, Topeka steamed more than 100,000 miles in support of the Chief of Naval Operations’ Maritime Strategy and successfully completed two six-month deployments (a Western Pacific deployment and a U.S. Central Command deployment).  Additionally, Topeka was awarded three Battle “E” Efficiency awards and numerous other awards during Cmdr. Stern’s tenure.

Stern, a native of Sunnyvale, Calif., will next serve as Senior Deputy, Submarine Squadron 11.

Cmdr. Michael Bratton, a Little Rock, Ark., native, began his Navy career in 1991 via the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His previous assignments include USS Chicago (SSN 721), USS Topeka (SSN 754), and USS Maryland (SSBN 738) (Gold). He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Chaminade University