Naval Facilities Engineering Command Welcomes New Leader

By Brienne Lang, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Public Affairs

May 21, 2010 - WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and Chief of Civil Engineers held a change of command ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard May 21.

Rear Adm. Christopher J. Mossey relieved Rear Adm. Wayne "Greg" Shear Jr. as commander.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead presented Shear with the Distinguished Service Medal for his "exemplary leadership of NAVFAC and 31 years of honorable and dedicated service." Shear assumed command of NAVFAC in October 2006, after previous assignments as director, Shore Readiness Division and deputy commander, Navy Installations Command. Roughead also awarded Marlene Shear the Meritorious Public Service Award.

NAVFAC is a global systems command that delivers and maintains quality, sustainable facilities, acquires and manages capabilities for the Navy's expeditionary combat forces, provides engineering contingency response, and enables energy security and environmental stewardship. In fiscal year 2009, NAVFAC managed a program of $16 billion and executed an unprecedented contract workload, awarding more than 44,400 actions totaling nearly $10.8 billion.

Among its facilities planning, engineering and construction support to Navy and Marine Corps commanders worldwide, NAVFAC is contracting the $1.1 billion Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., planning for the relocation of 8,000 Marines from Japan to Guam, and executing $1.9 billion in projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes improvements to Navy and Marine Corps installations, infrastructure repairs, installation of alternative energy options, and new construction of facilities.

Mossey previously served as vice commander of Navy Installations Command and director, Shore Readiness Division on the chief of naval operations' staff. As NAVFAC's new commander, Mossey will lead nearly 2,000 active and Reserve Civil Engineer Corps officers and approximately 20,000 civil servants and contractors.

"NAVFAC will aggressively seek innovative solutions that reduce total ownership costs for facilities and services," said Mossey in his remarks. "We will exploit conservation and efficiency opportunities, expand renewable energy production, and enhance the Navy and Marine Corps energy security."

Mossey grew up in Newtown Square, Penn. After earning a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1981, he was commissioned an ensign through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Cornell University. In 1991, he received a master of science (construction management) from Stanford University and completed the executive training program at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business in August 2003.

Mossey previously commanded NAVFAC Atlantic from June 2007 to September 2009, NAVFAC Pacific from October 2006 to June 2007, and served as NAVFAC Washington's commanding officer from 2004 to 2005.

Mossey is a Seabee combat warfare officer, a registered professional engineer in California and a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps. His personal decorations include five Legion of Merit Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal and various unit awards.