Commander of the frigate "Schleswig-Holstein" hands over the baton

On Friday, 7 October 2022 at 9 a.m., the commander of the 2nd Frigate Squadron, Captain Torben Jürgensen (46), handed over command of the frigate "Schleswig-Holstein" from Frigate Captain Andreas Mückusch (45) to his successor Frigate Captain Andreas Schmidt (41).

FKpt Mückusch, 25.09.2019 to 07.10.2022 Commander of the frigate "Schleswig-Holstein". Photo: German Armed Forces

Frigate Captain Mückusch took command of the "Schleswig-Holstein", also known as "Sophie-X", in 2019. "My time in command of the frigate 'Schleswig-Holstein' was certainly the highlight of my 25 years of service as a naval officer. With shipyard time, operational training, deployment and several manoeuvre participations, I experienced an extraordinary amount with my crew. The six-month deployment in the Aegean was particularly formative, with the emotional highlight being Christmas at sea with the crew. I am happy and proud to be able to hand over an operational ship and an outstanding, professional crew to my successor. Even though I am certainly leaving my crew and the 'Sophie-X' with two tears in my eyes, I am also looking forward to being able to spend more time with my family after three very intensive years," says the outgoing commander. In future, he will be a planning staff officer at the Joint Support and Enabling Command in Ulm.

FKpt Schmidt, new commander of the frigate "Schleswig-Holstein". Photo: Bundeswehr

His successor, Frigate Captain Andreas Schmidt, is no stranger to the Operational Flotilla 2. Although his time in the navy began in Operational Flotilla 1, he transferred to the frigate "Karlsruhe" as a ship operations officer in 2012. He then worked on the staff of Operational Flotilla 2 until he returned to Wilhelmshaven in 2018 after training courses and a period in Rostock. There he became first officer of the frigate F125 in the crew "Bravo". After working as a consultant in the Planning Department of the Federal Ministry of Defence in Bonn, he is now returning to Wilhelmshaven.

The editorial staff of marineforum.online wishes both of them good luck and joy in their new assignments - FKpt Mückusch far away from the sea in the south of Germany - and FKpt Schmidt with crew and ship in new tasks in the harbour and especially on the high seas.