SBT-22 Holds Change of Command Ceremony

JOHN C. STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MS – Special Boat Team 22 held a change of command ceremony May 24.

Cmdr. Tristan G. Rizzi relieved Cmdr. Frank Franky.

"Every member of SBT-22 was an integral part of what this command has done," said Franky in his remarks to more than 300 command employees and guests. "To serve with you here has been the opportunity of a lifetime."

"It is no surprise that under Cmdr. Franky's leadership, SBT-22 has thrived" said Rear Adm. Colin Kilrain, senior defense officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

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 nearly two years, Franky's next assignment will take him to Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

The new commander was most recently selected in 2010 to be the commanding officer of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghazni, Afghanistan. He subsequently deployed for 14 months to take charge of a 186-person joint, interagency and combined team. While deployed he conducted more than 260 operational missions.

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 pounds of personnel and cargo and is well-suited to inland waterways. 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.