NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (June 26, 2024) - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 changed commands during a ceremony onboard Naval Station Rota Spain, June 26.
During the ceremony, Cmdr. Benjamin Waite was relieved of his duties as NMCB-11’s commanding officer by Cmdr. James Angerman.
Capt. Geoffrey Townsend, Commander, Task Force 68, presided over the ceremony and opened with praise for Waite’s performance as commanding officer and the work NMCB-11 accomplished in the 6th Fleet area of operations. After his remarks, he presented Waite with a Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his tour as NMCB-11’s commanding officer.
Waite assumed command of NMCB-11 in June 2022 and led the battalion on two overseas deployments to execute civil engineering missions across the globe. Between deployments, NMCB-11 was the first Seabee battalion to restructure under the Naval Construction Force’s 2023 redesign. Also, during this time, NMCB-11 was awarded the 2022 Adm. Vern Clark Safety Award and the Chief of Naval Operation’s 2023 Expeditionary Safety Award.
Waite was well liked by the battalion and was known for voluntarily taking weekend bus driver duty to get deployed Seabees around base.
During his remarks, Waite gave thanks to his family for supporting him through his Naval career. He also recognized the Seabees under his command for their accomplishments during the last two years.
“I hope my impact on you all was simply ancillary to all the great things you did,” said Waite during his final address to the battalion. “As time goes on, I want you to remember that you did what needed to be done, you accomplished amazing things and completed all requirements.”
In accordance with Seabee tradition, Waite then presented the battalion colors to Command Master Chief Casey Kellogg, who turned them over to Angerman.
Angerman, a native of Corte Madera, Calif., commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2006 and served at numerous commands stateside and abroad, including Public Works, Special Warfare Group ONE, and NMCB-1.
Now officially in command of the battalion, Angerman also expressed his gratitude towards his family and thanked Waite for the smooth turnover.
“To the Seabees of NMCB-11, thank you for all the hard work that went into making this transition between us so smooth and seamless,” said Angerman. “I look forward to serving with you and I’m excited to build on this battalion’s rich history together.”
NMCB-11, homeported in Gulfport, Miss., and assigned to 22 Naval Construction Regiment, is forward deployed across the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of operations, providing civil engineering support for U.S. Sixth Fleet maritime operations to defend U.S., Allied, and partner interests.