YOKOSUKA, Japan—Naval Facilities Engineering Command Far East marked its 10-year anniversary at command headquarters on board Command Fleet Activity Yokosuka (CFAY) July 30.
NAVFAC Far East was established and Public Works Center Yokosuka, Japan and Officer In Charge of Construction Far East were disestablished on this date in 2004.
“In an effort to align and respond better to our customers and to move to a one team, one voice NAVFAC organization, we changed to the Facilities Engineering Command structure,” said Capt. Michelle La Duca, commanding officer, NAVFAC Far East. “This is my second tour in Japan. My first one, from 1997to 2000, was at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. My focus was local and reach-back was limited. Now we are an aligned organization and each site is supported from Yokosuka. Our focus is global and reach-back is unlimited.”
“Something that hasn’t changed, of course, is the fantastic workforce; military personnel, USCS [United States Civil Service] employees and our local national partners,” she said.
Since 2004, NAVFAC Far East has completed more than $2.5 billion in products and services to support forward deployed Sailors, Marines and their families. This work has included preparing for the arrival of the USS George Washington (CVN 73), including the cogeneration plant and supporting construction at CFAY. CVN 73 is the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed nuclear aircraft carrier. The Facilities Engineering Command has also done numerous family housing renovation projects and public works services.
During that time, the command has won multiple awards from the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of the Navy. In Fiscal Year 2013, NAVFAC Far East was awarded the Department of the Navy Golden Anchor for Retention, the CNO Award for Achievement in Safety Ashore and the CNO Cultural Resources Management, Installation Award.
Today, NAVFAC Far East is aligned with eight public works departments in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Its approximately 2,000 employees support naval operations ashore in a wide array of fields, including public works, environmental, capital improvements, acquisition, transportation, and asset management.