Naval Weapons Station Earle's new commander is a 'Jersey guy' (Forster '02)
Published on July 7, 2026
COLTS NECK ‑ There's a new commanding officer at Naval Weapons Station Earle and he's a Jersey guy.
At a few minutes before 10 a.m., on a sweltering Thursday morning, Capt. Brian A. Forster read his official orders to assume command of the naval base during a ceremony full of military regalia.
He relieves Capt. Kent “Brewski” Smith, who led the base from 2023 to 2026. Smith will now command the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps, University of Kansas.
Forster is a native of the Pinelands community of Buena in Atlantic County. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002, then led a distinguished career that brought him full circle 24 years later.
BZ '02!