Photo By Jeffrey C Doepp | 250214-N-HC520-1001 NORFOLK, VA (Feb. 14, 2025) (Left) Naval Facilities Engineering...... read more read more
From Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs
NORFOLK, VA – Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic (NAVFAC MIDLANT) Commanding Officer Capt. Ryan Carey awarded the command’s selection of its 2025 Military and Civilian Engineers of the Year, during ceremonies held Feb. 12 and 13.
Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Rivera, P.E., who is the command’s selection for the 2025 Military Engineer of the Year, received a plaque from Carey during a brief ceremony held at the Public Works Department (PWD), onboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEB LC-FS), in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Rivera, who has been with NAVFAC MIDLANT since 2018, currently serves as the Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Director (FEAD) for the installation. He leads an office of 42 military and civilian design and construction professionals, including 12 licensed engineers and architects, in solving complex engineering issues, and ensuring the longevity of mission critical support structures.
“My selection as Military Engineer of the Year is a representation of the accomplishments of my staff at the FEAD,” said Rivera, a Rochester, New York native, who has served in the Navy for 14 years. “Despite significant vacancies and overwhelming design and construction requirements, our office demonstrated resilience and unwavering commitment to the installation and the warfighters we support. I’m honored in this selection and for the opportunity to lead this impressive team of professionals. This achievement is as much theirs as it is mine.”
Prior to becoming the FEAD, Rivera served as the regional manager for the Base Operation and Support Funding Program, planning and executing a budget of $334 million in support of the maintenance programs at 14 Navy installations. He also completed tours with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE and Underwater Construction Team ONE, conducting expeditionary and contingency engineering missions.
“Lt. Cmdr. Rivera is a phenomenal officer and technical expert, and we are very fortunate to have him leading our FEAD,” said Cmdr. Craig Culbertson, Public Works Officer for PWD JEB LC-FS. “He has provided outstanding leadership both within the PWD broadly and to the FEAD team specifically. With his leadership, the FEAD has navigated complicated and highly technical challenges, responded to emergent issues, executed an exceptional MILCON program, and completed more than $50 million of design and $285 million of construction and maintenance projects, spread across 130 contracts. He is an incredible asset to NAVFAC and the Navy.”
The following day, Carey presented a plaque to Fire Protection Engineer Eric Zdankiewicz, P.E., who is the command’s selection for the 2025 Civilian Engineer of the Year, during a brief ceremony held at the command headquarters, onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Zdankiewicz, a New Britain, Connecticut native, who is assigned to the command’s Public Works (PW) Directorate, and a subject matter expert for Fire Protection Systems (FPS) Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM), and instrumental in developing the program for NAVFAC MIDLANT. As a licensed fire protection engineer and certified volunteer firefighter, he has been essential to NAVFAC in creating an FPS ITM Community Management framework and educating 400 employees on FPS technical aspects.
“Being selected for this is a tremendous honor, and with it comes an incredible feeling of professional recognition and validation of my ongoing efforts and initiatives,” said Zdankiewicz, who has been working at NAVFAC since 2010, starting in the Planning, Design, and Construction Directorate. “I’m very grateful for my PW Directorate chain of command for giving me the opportunity to develop professionally. Fostering career growth is extremely important to them and this wouldn’t have been possible without their nomination, hard work, dedication and allowing me to stand on their shoulders.”
Additionally, while implementing and managing the local ITM program and community management framework, Zdankiewicz procured additional resources to make significant progress in improving sustainment of FPS. He has been instrumental in the development of a training program to onboard qualified technicians including the development of unique FPS apprenticeship program and certification requirements for the workforce.
“These outstanding professionals provide sustained superior support to the Navy and have demonstrated outstanding citizenship in their communities,” Carey said of the awardees. “They are most worthy of the recognition accorded by these significant awards.”
NAVFAC MIDLANT provides facilities engineering, public works and environmental products and services across an area of responsibility that spans from South Carolina to Maine, as far west as Illinois, and down to Indiana. As an integral member of the Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic team, NAVFAC MIDLANT provides leadership through the Regional Engineer organization to ensure the region’s facilities and infrastructure are managed efficiently and effectively.
For additional information about NAVFAC MIDLANT on social media, follow our activities on Facebook at www.facebook.com/navfacmidatlantic and on Instagram @navfacmidatlantic.
| Date Taken: | 02.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2025 13:05 |
| Story ID: | 491476 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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