C-Falls man at helm of Aegis cruiser

Capt. Brian Sorenson, a 1987 Columbia Falls High School graudate, assumed command of the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio during a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk on Nov. 25.

A 1991 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Sorenson relieved Capt. Timothy Trampenau as Anzio’s commanding officer. The Anzio is a Ticonderoga-class Aegis cruiser that was commissioned on May 2, 1991.

Sorenson earned master’s degrees at the Naval Postgraduate School in 1998 and at the National War College in 2008.

At sea, he has served as a main propulsion assistant, navigator, administrative officer and deck department head aboard the USS Shiloh, the engineering officer aboard the USS Mitscher and USS Monterey, a surface strike and maritime interception officer in the George Washington Battle Group, the executive officer aboard the USS Bulkeley, commander of the USS Mitscher, and deputy commodore for Destroyer Squadron 26 in Norfolk, Va.

Ashore, Sorenson has served as section head for resource documents and fleet concepts of operations within the N8 Directorate for Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the surface warfare division special projects officer at Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force, and commodore of Afloat Training Group, Atlantic.