During a change of command ceremony at the Navy Reserve Center here, today, Maj. Gen. Paul J. Rock Jr. relinquished command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command, to Maj. Gen. Christopher A. McPhillips.

Rock, a Baltimore native, assumed command in July 2021. During his tenure, he led the MARCENT team in the implementation of multiple key initiatives aimed at both transforming the model for Marine Corps Forces support to the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility - from the enduring-presence model to the more flexible, responsive, scalable, mission-tailored ‘episodic’ model – and deterring malign actors through presence, engagement and improved partner relations with the 20-plus countries in the AOR. Chiefly, he oversaw the establishment of the ‘Intrepid Maven’ series, which employs episodic-forces, drawn from around the Marine Corps, to execute a combination of Operations, Activities, and Investments within the AOR to reinforce the U.S. commitment to the region.

“Leading this team has been a personal and professional privilege,” said Rock, referring to his time at MARCENT. “MARCENT made great strides in support of advancing the CENTCOM Commander’s focus on People, Partners and Innovation,” he said. “From the seven successful iterations of the Intrepid Maven exercise we conducted with five different partner nations, to the deployment of U.S.-based Marine Corps forces in response to emergent requirements and ongoing U.S. missions, I am exceedingly proud of the results this team has achieved,” he said. “MARCENT is a team of professionals who adapt and innovate to get the mission done,” he concluded.

McPhillips comes to MARCENT from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, where he most recently served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Policy. He is an AV-8B-turned-F-35 pilot, by trade, who has commanded at the squadron, Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Marine Aircraft Wing levels. He also has served as a Military Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City.

“It’s a humbling opportunity,” said McPhillips. “I’m looking forward to capitalizing on the gains made by Maj. Gen. Rock and the team, as well as advancing both the combatant command’s key objectives and Force Design 2030,” he said. “My family and I are excited to be here in Tampa.”

Rock previously assumed responsibility as Commandant of the National War College in D.C.