DVIDS – News – Flower Mound Native Takes Over the Reins of NTAG Southwest

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 3, 2025) — A native of Long Beach, California, and raised in Flower Mound, Texas, Navy Commander assumed the role of commanding officer (CO), Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Southwest January 3, 2025.

Cmdr. Joseph T. “Joerilla” Gilligan relieved Cmdr. Elizabeth E. McMullen, a Lynn, Massachusetts native, from the role during a ceremony on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum in San Diego.

Friends, family, and military personnel gathered to wish fair winds and following seas to the retiring Cmdr. McMullen after serving as the NTAG Southwest commanding officer and to welcome aboard Cmdr. Gilligan, as the new skipper.

Guest speaker Capt. Tommy L. Edgeworth, Commodore, Navy Recruiting Command Region West praised Cmdr. McMullen for her leadership and welcomed Cmdr. Gilligan as the command’s 29th commanding officer.

“This is a bitter-sweet moment for NTAG Southwest and the Region West team, because today we are losing one of our very best in Cmdr. McMullen,” said Edgeworth. “You have built an amazing team here. I can’t thank you enough for your exceptional leadership, determination and commitment as one of Region West’s most passionate CO’s. Your heart was always in the right place. Under your guidance NTAG Southwest saw remarkable success. You took a good command and turned it into a great one.”

Capt. Edgeworth presented Cmdr. McMullen with the Navy Meritorious Service Medal.

McMullen enlisted in the Navy in August 2000 from Aurora, Colorado as a Cryptographic Technician (Collection). She commissioned through the Seaman-to-Admiral Program in May 2006.

“I joined as an E-1 and through various programs, I commissioned, earned two degrees and became and O-5,” said McMullen. “All-in-all though, I have been able to go as far in my career as I was willing to work for.”c

NTAG Southwest has the highest recruiting goal in the nation and makes up a full 13 percent of Navy Recruiting Region West’s goal.

“I am grateful that I have been able to be speak as an honest broker in recruiting these last three years,” said McMullen. “Telling potential applicants and future Sailors what I have been able to achieve in the Navy and then letting them make their mind’s up.”

Cmdr. Gilligan had served as the NTAG Southwest executive officer since December 2023.

“To the men and women of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Southwest, I am deeply honored and humble to serve as your commanding officer,” said Gilligan. “We are a flagship of the Navy recruiting command fleet. Our mission capability is essential to our nation’s Navy. Your efforts to sustain combat capability that is necessary to deter conflict, and when called upon, to decisively defeat our adversaries. Your commitment, dedication and determination to man the world’s finest fleet, is deserving of nothing less than my upmost commitment to lead for you, with you, and by you. As your commanding officer, my focus is singular, to lead this command as effectively as I possibly can. I will put every ounce of my energy into it.”

NTAG Southwest’s area of responsibility encompasses more than 210,000 square miles covering southern California, southern Nevada and western Arizona. Headquartered at Naval Base Point Loma, the command has 43 recruiting stations with a mission to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy. The command employs more than 320 Sailors and civilian personnel.