The nation's top military brass joined the change-of-command ceremony yesterday morning at Camp Smith in which the reins of the U.S. Pacific Command were handed from Navy Adm. Timothy Keating to Adm. Robert Willard.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised Keating for his outstanding service while welcoming Willard — who appeared as a Tom Cruise adversary in the 1986 film "Top Gun."

"Our nation and this region have been blessed to have you in charge of the Pacific Command at the culmination of a brilliant career," Willard told Keating in assuming the command position. " ... Yours will be large shoes to fill."

Formal pomp included ship's bells, boatswain's whistles, a 19-cannon salute and music performed by the Joint Service Ceremonial Band of the Pacific. Jim Nabors sang the national anthem; Ciana Pelekai performed "Hawaii Ponoí."

Gates lauded Keating for his accomplishments as head of PACOM for the past 2› years, and his "stellar" 42-year Navy career.

He spoke about the importance of the Pacific Command, which is the oldest and largest of the military's unified commands, covering an area that includes half the world's population and spans three dozen countries.

"Leading a military organization in this part of the world requires a deft touch, a diplomat's sensibilities, a scholar's sense of the past and a commercial tycoon's business savvy," said Gates. "Adm. Keating has provided all that and more."

While the occasion was steeped in military tradition, there was room for levity — especially as it applied to Keating, who is a well-known jokester. While Gates and the crowd laughed, and Keating grimaced, Mullen played a recording of Keating leading baseball fans in singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at a Chicago Cubs game.

Gates, who served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to his retirement in 1993, thanked Keating, his wife, Wanda Lee, and his family for their service to the nation and wished them all the best as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Then he added, "And Tim, I hope you have better luck with retirement than I did."

Gates spoke of the "nation's good fortune" in having Adm. Willard to head PACOM. He pointed out that Willard's previous assignment was as commander of the world's largest fleet — the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

"So he knows full well the challenges and opportunities here," Gates said.

Following the one-hour ceremony, Gates left immediately for a tour of Japan and South Korea aimed at bolstering U.S alliances in the region.

"This visit to Hawaii is the first stop on what will be one of those not-exactly-relaxing around-the-world trips," said Gates, who left without taking questions from the press. "So I've assigned a special security detail to make sure no one in the delegation forgets to catch the departing flight."