SBT-22 Holds Change of Command Ceremony

By Darian Wilson, Special Boat Team 22 Public Affairs JOHN C. STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. (NNS) -- Special Boat Team (SBT) 22 held a change of command ceremony July 15. Cmdr. Francis G. Franky relieved Cmdr. Robert W. Lyonnais.
"My guys have done a great job without missing a step," said Lyonnais, in his remarks to more than 300 command employees and guests. "SBT-22 has done everything asked of them and more. I could not be more proud of you." "We really appreciate what you have done to push forward the SBT-22 mission and also the work you have done for the entire community which will enhance the mission here for decades to come," said guest speaker Patrick Scheuermann, director of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center. SBT-22 is the only command in the Department of Defense designated to conduct special operations in a riverine environment. After turning over command after two year, Lyonnais' next assignment will take him to the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R. I., where he will continue his military studies. Franky is a prior enlisted SEAL who attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., earning a Bachelors of Science degree in computer science and his master's degree in defense analysis. He served at SEAL Team 1, 2 and 4, Naval Special Unit 4, as officer in charge of Naval Special Warfare Detachment South, and in multiple roles at Naval Special Warfare Development Group. SBT-22 employs a unique craft: the Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R). It is used in river environments and has a top speed of 42 knots. It holds up to 20,500 lbs (9,300 kg) of personnel and cargo and is well-suited to inland waterways. SBT-22 is the only unit in the world to operate the SOC-R. Typical training includes riverine patrol and interdiction, insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces; watercraft concealment and evasion tactics; and surveillance of enemy-held rivers and waterways. For more news from Naval Special Warfare Group 4, visit www.navy.mil/local/nswg4/.