Moreell Medal Awarded to NMCB-11 Officer

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- The Society of American Military Engineers awarded the annual Moreell Medal for 2012 to the operations officer for Naval Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11, April 19.

In a message from Commander Naval Facilities Engineering Command (COMNAVFACENGCOM), Rear Adm. Katherine L. Gregory praised Navy Civil Engineer Corps Lt. Cmdr. Ryan P. Carey, a Williamsburg, Va., native for "inspirational leadership and unsurpassed professional expertise as he led engineering operations across the entire country of Afghanistan."

"Unquestionably, his superb leadership in combat coupled with understanding of NCF and MC/Joint Doctrine were absolutely critical to NMCB ELEVEN's support of the Marine Corps, Army and Special Forces throughout Afghanistan," said Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, commanding officer of NMCB-11

Carey earned his commission in September 2000 after attending Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla., and he earned his Master's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland.

His duty stations include Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, California, NMCB-1 in Gulfport, Miss., Eighth Engineer Support Battalion, MCB Camp Lejeune, N.C., Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, and his current assignment, NMCB-11 in Gulfport, Miss.

Carey's deployments include Guam, the Philippines, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

The Moreell Medal is named for Adm. Ben Moreell who, as the Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Chief of Civil Engineers of the Navy, was granted permission in 1941 to form Naval Construction Battalions thus earning the distinction of being called the father of the U.S. Navy Seabees.

NMCB-11 is a Seabee battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb11/.