NTAG Pacific Northwest Holds Change of Command Ceremony

Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest held a change of command ceremony June 26, 2026, at the Puget Sound Navy Museum, where Cmdr. Michael Ferrell relieved Cmdr. Richard Jarchow as commanding officer of the command.

Rear Adm. James P. Waters III, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, presided over the ceremony.

The event marked the transfer of leadership for one of the Navy’s most geographically diverse and operationally demanding recruiting commands. NTAG Pacific Northwest recruits across Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, a one-million-square-mile area of responsibility that spans major metropolitan areas, rural communities, hazardous mountain corridors and remote Alaska locations.

Jarchow, who became executive officer of NTAG Pacific Northwest in May 2024 and assumed command in October 2024, led the command through one of the most demanding recruiting environments in recent Navy history.

“My father taught me what it means to never quit, but the recruiters of this command showed me what grit looks like when the future of the United States Navy is on the line,” Jarchow said. “They face relentless pressure and daily rejection, yet they never stop fighting for our mission and for each other. Their immense self-discipline, toughness and unbreakable commitment are the reasons for our success.”

Under Jarchow’s leadership, NTAG Pacific Northwest continued to distinguish itself across Navy Recruiting Command. As of June 2026, the command held the lowest attrition rate in the nation at 5.76%, while recruiters across the region consistently brought in qualified applicants, kept them engaged through the process, and generated strong word-of-mouth referrals from future Sailors.

Those results came in a region where geography shaped the mission every day. Recruiters in Alaska often worked in remote communities under severe weather conditions, at times relying on bush travel by small aircraft and off-road vehicles to reach prospective applicants. Across Washington, Idaho, and Montana, recruiters regularly navigated long drives, mountain routes, and overnight travel to keep applicants on track for service.

Hosted at the Puget Sound Navy Museum beneath the sail of USS Parche(SSN 683), the ceremony carried special meaning for Jarchow, who once served as an enlisted submariner and machinist’s mate, following a path first set by his father, Richard Jarchow Sr., also a Navy machinist’s mate.

Ferrell assumes command after serving as executive officer of NTAG Pacific Northwest. A native of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, he is a 2009 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Villanova University. His recent sea tours include USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Omaha (LCS 12) and USS Kansas City (LCS 22), while his shore assignments included serving as a naval science instructor at the University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University and as deputy director of future operations for Expeditionary Strike Group 3, experience that helped prepare him to lead one of the Navy’s most demanding recruiting commands.

In remarks to the command, Ferrell emphasized continuity, accountability, and daily improvement.

“Every day presents an opportunity to improve ourselves, improve our teams, and improve our command,” Ferrell said. “That is what ‘Better. Every. Day.’ means to me, and I look forward to pursuing it together.”

Ferrell told the command he was honored to serve alongside a team that had already earned trust throughout the Pacific Northwest, and said the work of Navy recruiting changes lives, strengthens the Navy and directly supports fleet readiness.

In a farewell message to the command, Jarchow thanked the team for its resilience and urged recruiters to support the new leadership team with the same commitment they had shown during his tour.

“It was the honor of a lifetime to serve with them,” Jarchow said.

Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific Northwest manages more than 34 enlisted and officer recruiting stations throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Its mission is to recruit the next generation of Sailors from the Pacific Northwest, focusing on high-quality candidates who will enhance the readiness of America’s Navy and inspire future leadership.