USA: NAVFAC Celebrates National Engineers Week

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) headquarters celebrated National Engineers Week Feb. 21 with an award presentation ceremony for the command’s 2013 Engineers of the Year.

NAVFAC Commander Rear Adm. Kate Gregory presented award plaques to Lt. Cmdr. LaKeeva Gunderson from NAVFAC Far East and Joshua Tomblin from NAVFAC Atlantic as the Military and Civilian Engineers of the Year for 2013. Gunderson and Tomblin then represented NAVFAC at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) announced the 2013 Federal Engineer of the Year.

“We are very fortunate to have a broad and deep bench of experienced and talented engineers who epitomize professionalism and the ‘can do’ spirit that is the foundation of our 170-year NAVFAC legacy,” said Gregory. “It’s a pleasure to recognize the contributions these two individuals made to the profession of engineering, to our supported commanders, and to the communities in which they live.”

National Engineers Week was started by the NSPE in 1951. Its purpose is to call attention to the contributions that engineers make to society. It is also a time for engineers to emphasize to others the importance of learning math, science, and technical skills.

National Engineers Week is held in conjunction with President George Washington’s birthday. Washington is sometimes referred to as the nation’s first engineer, notably for his survey work. Although he had a limited formal education, Washington acquired surveying skills very early in his life and became a master technician and mentor. In fact, in 1749, at the young age of 17, Washington was appointed the surveyor general of Virginia.

NAVFAC’ 15 commands around the world are celebrating the week by holding informative outreach events that underline math, science and engineering skills to students.

For example, NAVFAC Southeast is providing an open house for young students on base to introduce them to what a Navy facilities engineering command does. The idea is to teach them a little about engineering, but from a young person’s point of view.

“Our goal is to reach out to kids,” said NAVFAC Southeast Public Works Business Line Coordinator Jeff Killian. “We are looking for kids who show creativity, like to draw, like to tear things apart, and show innovation. Engineers have all of these characteristics, and kids may not even know that they have the same inside them.”

National Engineers Week runs through Feb. 23.

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Naval Today Staff, February 22, 2013; Image: NAVFAC