Rear Adm. Christopher J. Mossey was named commander of the U.S. Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command and chief of civil engineers, based in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Defense Dept. said Dec. 28, 2009. He will take over next May from Adm. Wayne "Greg" Shear, who is retiring after serving in those roles since 2006 and in the Navy since receiving his commission in 1979. Mossey, who does not need U.S. Senate confirmation for the post, is currently director of the Ashore Readiness Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and vice commander for the Navy Installations Command. He was appointed to both in September 2009.

Mossey had previously commanded NAVFAC's Atlantic command in Norfolk,Va., since 2007, and served in a similar role in its Pacific command in 2006. He also served in command and executive officer roles in Navy construction units in Washington, D.C., Gulfport, Miss., Millington, Tenn., Yokosuka, Japan, Port Hueneme, Calif. and South Weymouth, Mass., among other locations.

MOSSEY

Mossey holds engineering degrees from Cornell University and Stanford University and is a designated Seabee Combat Warfare Officer. He was commissioned an ensign in 1981.

NAVFAC manages planning, design, construction, contingency engineering, real estate, environmental, and public works support to Navy and Marine Corps shore facilities and forces around the world, with an annual volume of business exceeding $18 billion.