Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Heather Wamsley | Capt. Brent Paul, left, outgoing commanding officer of Naval Facilities Engineering...... read more read more
KEYPORT, Wash. – Capt. Preston Taylor assumed command from Capt. Brent Paul as the commanding officer of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Northwest in a change of command ceremony at the Naval Undersea Museum on July 26. Taylor also assumes the role of regional engineer for Commander, Navy Region Northwest. Paul is set to join NAVFAC Pacific as the new vice commander. Rear Adm. Jeffrey Kilian, commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, presided over the ceremony.
The ceremony opened with Kilian acknowledging Paul’s exceptional accomplishments and leadership as the commanding officer of NAVFAC Northwest.
“Brent’s dedication to his team and mission has been instrumental in setting NAVFAC Northwest up for long-term success,” said Kilian. “Recognizing that people are the Navy's greatest asset, Brent’s efforts have ensured that the command is well-prepared to meet future challenges. Paul’s commitment to his people, command, and mission is a key reason why he was chosen to lead NAVFAC Northwest and why I hand-selected him to be my vice commander at NAVFAC Pacific.”
Kilian highlighted that upon taking command of NAVFAC Northwest, Paul identified a critical vulnerability in personnel staffing and made it his top priority to address hiring actions. Paul’s relentless focus on achieving 100 percent staffing levels led to a net hiring increase every month in 2023, surpassing the goal of 120 personnel. The command saw significant improvements, including an 18 percent reduction in canceled recruitments, a five-day faster processing time, and a 54 percent increase in overall recruitment actions compared to the previous fiscal year.
"Brent recognizes that people are the Navy's asymmetric advantage, not just NAVFAC. His strategic focus on personnel staffing and hiring actions has set NAVFAC Northwest up for success for years to come," said Kilian.
Kilian then introduced Taylor, acknowledging his dual qualification as a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer and a Fleet Marine Force qualified officer.
"Preston is well-equipped to take command and has completed several successful public works tours,” said Kilian. “With the workload at NAVFAC Northwest projected to increase over the coming years and new challenges on the horizon, I have complete confidence and trust that the NAVFAC Northwest team will continue to deliver under Preston's leadership.”
Kilian continued by stating that although taking command is challenging and stressful, Taylor is fully capable of leading NAVFAC Northwest, and NAVFAC Pacific fully supports Taylor in his new tour.
Following Kilian’s speech, Paul emphasized the critical nature of NAVFAC Northwest’s work and the challenges the team has faced, highlighting the importance of collaboration in overcoming those obstacles.
“Thank you for your outstanding dedication, accomplishments, and support of the NAVFAC Northwest mission. You are a world-class organization with tremendous expertise, professionalism, and a proven record of performance does not go unnoticed,” said Paul. “Thank you for all your hard work that may or may not have been highlighted today. Your work enables the warfighters and operational commands in Navy Region Northwest to execute their missions as we ensure they have the infrastructure in place to operate.”
Paul also spoke to his fellow Civil Engineer Corps officers, saying, "To the officers and enlisted personnel of NAVFAC Northwest, you have no shortage of work on your hands. However, I know you are up to the task, and I look forward to hearing about your successes from NAVFAC Pacific.”
Paul, who previously served as the public works officer for Naval Air Station Pensacola, chief of staff officer at Naval Construction Group TWO, and operations officer for NAVFAC Southeast, leaves NAVFAC Northwest for his second tour in the Pacific region, where he will serve under Kilian’s leadership. His new position will assist the commander in overseeing the command’s operations, including managing the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of shore facilities for the Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific region. He will also provide leadership and direction to staff, support strategic planning, and coordinate with other military branches and civilian agencies to meet the operational needs of the Pacific Fleet.
Paul ended his speech by welcoming Taylor to the command, saying, “Congratulations, again, Preston, for your selection and assignment to command. For as long as I’ve known Preston, he’s been the gold standard of an officer.”
The ceremony closed with remarks from Taylor.
"I am humbled and honored to follow Capt. Paul here at NAVFAC Northwest and build on the tremendous work he has led with the NAVFAC and region teams,” said Taylor.
Taylor’s speech began with a recounting of a recent event where he stumbled on a 1942 memo at his previous command. “Reflecting on a 1942 memo found earlier this year, which painted a bleak picture of our wartime capabilities, reminds us of the incredible achievements our nation and Navy accomplished through hard work, grit, and determination,” said Taylor.
“Today, as we face similar challenges, we must think and act differently to respond decisively to near-peer aggression in the Pacific. By 2027, our goal is to reinforce our installations as warfighting platforms that generate and project force with the resources and infrastructure we currently have. Every investment we make in infrastructure must be tied to improved operational outcomes.”
Taylor ended his speech by recognizing the involvedness of the NAVFAC Northwest team, saying, “Navy Region Northwest and NAVFAC Northwest are partnering to solve some of the Navy’s most challenging problems. With so many new critical platforms currently operating and soon to be operating out of the Pacific Northwest, there couldn’t be a more exciting time to be here.”
Taylor brings extensive experience from key operational and shore assignments. His operational roles include Company Commander and Detail Sasebo officer in charge, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FORTY; facilities management division director in Al Asad Air Base Iraq, and Chief Staff Officer, Naval Construction Group ONE. His shore assignments in the U.S. include assistant resident officer in charge of construction at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; operations officer in Charleston, South Carolina; assistant operations officer at NAVFAC Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; deputy executive assistant at the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations; public works officer at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia; senior military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment; and deputy branch head for capital improvements, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Installations and Logistics.
Taylor was commissioned in 2000 in the Civil Engineer Corps through the Civil Engineer Corps Officer School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Brigham Young University and a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Stanford University.
– USN –
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command is the naval shore facilities, base operating support, and expeditionary engineering systems command that delivers life-cycle technical and acquisition solutions aligned to the fleet and Marine Corps priorities. Follow us at www.facebook.com/navfac, and www.twitter.com/navfac. Read Seabee Magazine online at http://seabeemagazine.navylive.dodlive.mil/.
| Date Taken: | 08.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2024 12:03 |
| Story ID: | 477642 |
| Location: | KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | SILVERDALE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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