Get to Know the New CO!

 

Pacific Missile Range Facility is honored and excited to introduce the Kaua‘i community to our new commanding officer, Captain Robert Prince. Captain Prince joined our PMRF family on June 5, 2025. Below he discusses his Navy career, leadership style, and first months on Kaua‘i.

 

Why did you join the Navy?

 

I applied for a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps college scholarship as a way to pay for college and serve my country, but I didn’t really have any expectations to stay in the Navy past my initial four-year commitment. I always had an interest in aviation, and like most kids in the 80’s, I grew up watching Top Gun. Flying has been an absolute blast, especially flying F/A-18s from aircraft carriers, but what got me interested in staying in the Navy was the people I worked with. Whether it’s people I worked for or, as I got into leadership positions, the people working for me, they motivated me day in and day out to do the mission.

 

Do you have a motto or personal mantra that you live by?

 

Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing right.

One of the things I really like about serving in the Navy is that you’re part of something much bigger than yourself, and it takes a lot of people coming together to move the ball. Seeing everyone do their job well, coming together as a team, and making a difference is what really inspires me, not just the individual effort, but the collective efforts and the teamwork.

 

What are some of the highlights of your Navy career? How did they contribute to getting to where you are now?

 

Things that really stick out in my mind are the challenging times. Even though they weren’t fun at the time, when you look back at them you can see the challenges you’ve overcome and get a great sense of pride from being a part of that team. When I think about it, what I really enjoyed was being surrounded by people with a "can do"
attitude who rose to the occasion. While I have been surrounded by the military for most of my career, I worked with a lot of civilians in my last job at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and I witnessed the same commitment and attitude from them.

 

What is your model for leadership?

 

A leader should enable and empower their teams to do their job. My goal is to break down barriers and try to help the organization function at its peak. If you’re doing everything right as a leader, you can create an organization that functions smoothly without you. The goal is to ultimately empower the people at the right levels to do their jobs and make sure they’re able to be successful.

 

What has your experience on Kaua‘i been like so far?

 

I grew up in a small town in upstate New York, and then during my time in the Navy, the small town of Lemoore, California, became my home. The quiet life here on Kaua‘i is perfectly fine with me and my family. We enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with nature and enjoy time together and with the tight-knit community here on the west side of the island. Everyone has been so welcoming and has made the transition much easier for my family.

 

How do you intend to make an impact while here?

 

First and foremost, accomplishing our mission always needs to be at the forefront of the mind. The mission of PMRF is unique and I’m still trying to fully understand its implications, but we need to ensure we’re always ready because the entire fleet is counting on us to do our job.

How we accomplish our mission is also important. We need to be good neighbors, so I’m always looking for ways that we can have a positive impact on the local community. We also need to take care of our team, making sure their physical, mental, and spiritual needs are being met.

 

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would you say?

 

I would say be open to new things and don’t shut any doors unnecessarily.

The advice I always give to junior Sailors is to keep your opportunities open: study for that exam even if you don’t know if you want to stay in the Navy, work hard in school and get good grades even if you don’t like your classes. Even if you don’t love what you’re doing now or don’t know what you want to do, you may find something along the way that you’re really passionate about.