PORT HUENEME, Calif. -- Capt. Peter J. Maculan relieved Capt. Christopher M. Kurgan as the commanding officer (CO) for the Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering (CSFE) and the Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officers School (CECOS) during a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme Aug. 26.
 
Maculan’s most recent duty station was Gulfport, Mississippi, where he served as commodore of Naval Construction Group 2.  Previous duty stations include tours as commanding officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5, deputy commander for operations of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, assistant regional engineer at NAVFAC Far East, and Seabee Readiness Division director of CECOS.
 
“It is a privilege to serve this great Navy, and it is my privilege to serve all of you as your commanding officer,” said Maculan. “We will stay laser focused on developing and delivering mission-ready Seabees, civil engineer corps officers, and civilians.  We will take care of today’s business but continue to plan, invest, and develop tomorrow’s training environment.”
 
Rear Adm. Peter A. Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command, served as the guest speaker and highlighted the scope of CSFE’s responsibilities, ranging from initial accessions training to a broad portfolio of programs that support Sailors and facilities professionals in their career, education requirements and professional goals.  Garvin also highlighted the service and sacrifice of military families.
 
“Each one of us in uniform knows that our oath is to support and defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic - there is no question about that,” said Garvin. “It is also true that our service to our nation would not be possible without the love and support of our families.  It is their service and their sacrifice that I’d like to personally acknowledge and applaud.”
 
Garvin went on to commend CSFE's team on their vision, leadership, professionalism, character, teamwork, and persistent and deliberate progress all aimed upon building a strong foundation and contributing to shaping the best naval construction force possible.
 
Kurgan is retiring after serving in the Navy for 30 years.  He was awarded the Legion of Merit for outstanding service and exceptionally meritorious performance of his duties as CSFE commanding officer, where he led innovative initiatives to develop personal character within the naval construction force, incorporating cutting-edge technology in the delivery of world-class training.  Additionally, he led the command to mission success despite the global pandemic, rapidly adapting to the changing environment and continuing the Navy’s training mission while protecting the health of students and staff.
 
During Kurgan’s tenure, CSFE trained more than 41,000 civil engineer corps (CEC) officers, enlisted Seabees and civil servants in nearly 5,000 classes.
 
“Today is not about me, it’s about the command.  It’s about recognizing the accomplishments of CSFE and CECOS.  It’s about the transfer of authority and with that, the responsibility and accountability of command,” said Kurgan. “Once upon a time, ships sailed from the coast when there was no internet, email, or phones.  They were given orders overseas and the CO of that ship negotiated treaties, the ship brought those treaties back, and those treaties bound this country.  That is the level of trust that goes into mission command.”
 
After assuming command, Maculan thanked Kurgan and spoke of his plans to further the ongoing initiatives and innovation taking place throughout the training enterprise.
 
A native of Rhode Island, Maculan was commissioned after completion of Officer Candidate School in 1994. He earned a Bachelor of Science in architecture from the Catholic University of America and a Master of Science in civil engineering from the University of Maryland.
 
Established in 2003 by Naval Education and Training Command, CSFE manages the following learning sites: CECOS, Port Hueneme; Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC), Gulfport, Mississippi; NCTC, Port Hueneme; CSFE Detachment Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and CSFE Detachment Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
 
For more information on CSFE, visit www.netc.navy.mil/CSFE/ or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CenterForSeabeesPortHueneme