Marom (left) and Rotenberg
Marom (left) and RotenbergIDF Website

Rear Admiral Ram Rutenberg was appointed Commander of the Navy Thursday and promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral in an official ceremony. The event was held in the IDF Chief of Staff's bureau at Rabin Base in Tel Aviv, with Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, the other members of the General Staff and their families attending.

Vice Admiral Rotenberg replaces Vice Admiral Eliezer Marom (Chiney) who served as Navy Commander for 4 years and has completed 38 years' service in IDF uniform.

Defense Minister Barak wished Rotenberg well and said: "I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to Chiney, for dozens of years of dedication. Chiney always knew how to be operational and sharp throughout the service, in all roles and on the forefront of operational action. Under your command, the Navy pushed past the envelope of operational abilities, in fields that – had we been told years ago that they were possible, we would have raised an eyebrow and been skeptical – yet these things were done and are being done."

Vice Admiral Rotenberg, noted Barak, made his way up the ranks from the Naval Commando, through ground based operational units and back to the Navy.  

Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz thanked Marom and wished Rotenberg success. "In the military field there is great importance to the strength of spirit beside physical strength. In the Navy's first years, when the ships were still made of wood, they used to say that the ships are made of wood and the men are made of iron. Today, when the ships are made of iron, I tell you, Chiney, that you are also made of iron."