Command of NATO's Joint Force Command Norfolk handed to British general

Emma Rose Brown, The Virginian-Pilot on Sep 24, 2026

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NORFOLK, Va. — NATO’s Joint Force Command in Norfolk has a new leader.

British Army General Nick Perry took over for Vice Adm. Doug Perry on Thursday at a change of command ceremony aboard the USS Nimitz on Naval Station Norfolk.

Nick Perry is the first British officer to lead Joint Force Command Norfolk.

“Here in our business, clarity and communication really matters. In the game of deterrence, there can be no room for misunderstanding. So I promise to be clear about which football I mean and to use fewer cricket analogies,” Perry joked.

“But seriously, clarity builds understanding, understanding builds unity and those things have never mattered more than they do today. Our alliance faces its most dangerous security environment in generations.”

Asked about his priorities on day one, Perry said it’s all about readiness.

“In a simple nutshell, it’s to increase our readiness, our readiness to be vigilant day to day, but also if called upon, to be able to defend and fight.”

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich called Perry’s assumption of the command a “huge step for the alliance.”

“This is a great example of European nations stepping up, offering their finest officers to lead our most important commands in the alliance,” Grynkewich said.

Joint Force Command Norfolk is one of NATO’s three joint force commands. It protects the trans-Atlantic link between North America and Europe, as well as the increasingly strategic Arctic region, across multiple military domains.

It is also the home of Arctic Sentry, a NATO effort focused on monitoring activity in the Arctic, demonstrating military capability and training forces to operate in the region. The activity launched in February in response to increased Russian military activity and growing Chinese interest.

“Arctic Sentry is a fantastic binding of what nations were doing on their own with what the Alliance is doing and was brought together under Admiral Doug Perry and Joint Force Command Norfolk, which is really focused on making sure we know what’s going on up there,” Nick Perry said. “We’re able to demonstrate military capability, train our people to operate in what is still an extremely demanding and difficult environment and that we’re ready to defend and deter, and then if necessary, defend from there.”

The ceremony marked the retirement of Vice Adm. Doug Perry after 37 years in the Navy. His career as a submariner included command of Submarine Group Nine and Task Group 114.3, as well as senior leadership roles overseeing joint and fleet operations and undersea warfare.

He spoke for nearly an hour, reflecting on almost four decades in the military and thanking the friends, family and colleagues who supported his career.

The outgoing Perry was also commanding officer of the U.S. Navy’s 2nd Fleet. His replacement has yet to be confirmed by Congress and will be announced at a later date.

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