• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest Changes Hands

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090815-05
Release Date: 8/15/2009 10:17:00 PM

By Lee H. Saunders, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest held a change of command ceremony Aug. 7 aboard the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum in San Diego.

Capt. S. Keith Hamilton relieved Capt. Steven M. Wirsching as commanding officer of NAVFAC Southwest.

"I have admired the innovation and accomplishments of NAVFAC Southwest and its predecessor commands, Southwest Division and Public Works Center San Diego, for many years," said Hamilton. "I am especially impressed with what I see the command doing now. While the workload is already at unprecedented levels, it continues to grow, and the high performing NAVFAC Southwest team continues to deliver high quality facilities, on time and on budget to meet our supported commander's mission requirements."

Hamilton is the fourth commanding officer of NAVFAC Southwest since its establishment in August 2005, after the disestablishment of NAVFAC Southwest Division and Navy Public Works Center (PWC) San Diego.

A native of St. Louis, Hamilton was commissioned in 1983 through the University of Missouri Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering. He earned a Master of Science in management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1989 and a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 1995.

Hamilton is a Seabee combat warfare officer, a joint specialty officer, a registered professional engineer in Oregon and a member of the acquisition professional community. Among his decorations are the Legion of Merit (three awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various other individual and unit awards.

"I see many challenges and opportunities ahead to meet the growing requirements of our Navy/Marine Corps team, and I am completely confident that the dedicated professionals of NAVFAC Southwest are more than up to the challenge," said Hamilton, "It is truly an honor to be joining this great command."

Wirsching's departure as commanding officer for two years and executive officer for one year was the climax of a 26-year naval career. The change of command ceremony ended with family, friends and colleagues celebrating his career during a retirement ceremony.

A native of Twin Falls, Idaho, Wirsching earned his commissioning and a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering in 1983 from the U. S. Naval Academy. He earned a master's degree in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1991 and completed the program for executives at Carnegie Mellon University in 2005.

Wirsching is a Seabee Combat Warfare Officer and a licensed professional engineer in Idaho. He is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers and the Acquisition Professional Community.

His personal awards include the Legion of Merit (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy Achievement Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal. Wirsching was also the recipient of the Society of American Military Engineer's Moreell Medal in 1995.

"The absolute best part of being in the Navy is the opportunity to meet and serve with so many amazing people and to forge lifelong friendships with them," said Wirsching, during his retirement ceremony. "I am honored that a few of them have taken the time, and in some cases, traveled great distances to be here today."

The more than 3,200 personnel of NAVFAC Southwest manage and execute an annual volume of work in excess of $2 billion in support of clients with services in planning, design, construction, real estate, environmental and public works support for U. S. Navy shore facilities, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and other federal agencies in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Colorado.

For more news from Naval Facilities Engineering Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navfachq/.