Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 assumed charge of the Seabee's Europe and Africa Naval Construction Force missions from NMCB 11 during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Mitchell, Naval Station Rota's Seabee camp, Feb. 20.

Rear Adm. Louis V. Cariello, director of Energy and Environmental Readiness Division, spoke to the battalions before presiding over the transfer of authority.

"It is an absolute pleasure for me to be here today," said Cariello. "It is great to be back with our Navy's expeditionary force -- an expeditionary force that represents, quite honestly, a bridge between our 'blue-water' Navy and our forces ashore; critical to our operations around the globe. It is one thing to be a really good battalion and to be able to execute effectively. It is another thing to achieve a standard of excellence that makes you a great battalion."

Cariello went on to thank NMCB 11 for a great deployment for the past six months and welcomed NMCB 1, who will be taking over.

Cmdr. Jim Brown, commanding officer of NMCB 11, expressed confidence in the battalions before he exchanged salutes to signify the transfer of authority.

"My command philosophy is pretty simple: be ready, be willing, and be able," said Brown. "And my quote is a William Faulkner quote: ['Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.'] We've done a phenomenal turnover. Past battalions used to conflict and compete. We don't do that anymore. We are one team, one fight. We are just trying to be better than ourselves."

Brown then exchanged salutes with Cmdr. Lance Flood, commander of NMCB 1, in the presence of Cariello to signify the official transfer of authority.

As NMCB 11 returns to its homeport in Gulfport, Mississippi, the oncoming battalion will continue the ongoing projects and achieve the Seabee mission by supporting the base.

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For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.