174TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND, 149TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS AND 74TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVAL CONSTRUCTION FORCES
Date Signed: 3/1/2016 | ALMARS Number: 007/16
ALMARS : 007/16
R 012331Z MAR 16
ALMAR 007/16
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/174TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING COMMAND, 149TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER CORPS AND 74TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAVAL CONSTRUCTION FORCES//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  On behalf of all Marines, congratulations as you commemorate your anniversaries.  Marines will always be grateful for your time-honored legacy of service to the Naval Forces of our Nation.  Navy Civil Engineers and Seabees have steadfastly improved the combat effectiveness of the Marine Corps through facilities improvements, while simultaneously building and fighting alongside Marines in every conflict.
2.  Since its founding in 1842 as the Bureau of Naval Yards and Docks, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) has enjoyed a proud heritage, providing our Navy and Marine Corps team with exceptional installations support.  Bolstered by the creation of the Civil Engineer Corps in 1867, NAVFAC has continuously provided superior technical expertise and invaluable facilities engineering service.  Over the past five years, NAVFAC executed an average of nearly $1 billion per year in military construction for the Marine Corps.  This critical infrastructure has dramatically improved Marine Corps readiness and the quality of life for Marines, Sailors and their families.
3.  The legendary Seabees continue to add to their legacy as integrated force multipliers enabling the Navy and Marine Corps team to effectively engage the enemy, strengthen alliances, and enhance regional stability.  Over the past year as Marines have trained with our partner nation militaries in dozens of exercises and events on nearly every continent around the world, Seabees have been right with them providing critical expeditionary construction.  In every conflict for the past seven decades, Seabees have been running to the sound of the guns alongside Marines.  Today, Seabees are providing vital consolidation and demobilization support in Afghanistan, performing critical tasks such as the airfield damage repair recently completed at Isa Airbase, and continuously enabling combat forces to engage the enemy with their unwavering and expert engineering support.
4.  As we celebrate your legacy of professionalism and "can do" spirit, we also pay tribute to the many Navy Civil Engineers and Seabees who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation.  Marines everywhere salute your courage, dedication, and unshakable resolve to accomplish the mission in any clime and place.
5.  Happy Anniversary and Semper Fidelis! Robert B. Neller, General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps.//