By 30th NCR Public Affairs
Lt. Cmdr. Michael Guzzi was named the winner of the 2015 Moreell Medal, Feb. 16. Guzzi is currently assigned as the future operations officer for the 30th Naval Construction Regiment and Naval Construction Group 1, Naval Base Ventura County, Calif. Photo by MCC Lowell Whitman/160217-N-HA376-001
Naval Facilities and Engineering Command (NAVFAC) announced Lt. Cmdr. Michael Guzzi as the winner of the 2015 Moreell Medal, Port Hueneme, California, Feb. 16.
Guzzi, a native of Yuba City, California, is currently assigned as the future operations officer for the 30
th Naval Construction Regiment (30 NCR) and Naval Construction Group (NCG) 1, stationed at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Port Hueneme, California.
In a message announcing the award, Rear Adm. Bret Muilenburg, commander, NAVFAC, wrote that Guzzi, displayed superb engineering judgment, bold leadership and detailed planning efforts in directing 30 NCR and over 4,500 assigned U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force engineers to unprecedented operational success in the Pacific Theatre.
Lt. Cmdr. Michael Guzzi briefs the 30th Naval Construction Regiments operational planning team prior to a command post exercise (CPX). Photo by MCC Lowell Whitman/150219-N-HA376-027
The message further recognized Guzzis work in developing 48 construction projects across 18 locations in the U.S. 7
th and 3
rd Fleet areas of operation, as well as his work as the operations officer for the Combined-Joint Civil-Military Operations Task Force during Balikatan 2015 in the Philippines.
I am extremely humbled and proud of the award mostly because it recognizes the hard work of the folks at 30 NCR, NCG 1 and across the Naval Construction Force [NCF], said Guzzi. I guess since they can't give the award to the entire force, I get to be the beneficiary of everyone's accomplishments.
Guzzi enlisted in the Navy as an Undesignated Seaman in September 1994, serving three years aboard USS
Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) in Norfolk, Virginia, and completing his enlisted service as a Boatswains Mate 3
rd Class. Commissioned in 2002, his assignments have included NBVC Public Works Department, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCBs) 4 and 5, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization Navy Center of Excellence and NAVFAC Southwest.
I love the Navy, the Seabees and the feeling of mission accomplishment, said Guzzi. There is no greater feeling professionally than being able to look in the mirror and know you gave everything you had to the task at hand and were ultimately successful.
The Moreell Medal is given annually by the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) to recognize an active or reserve officer of the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, or a civilian employee of NAVFAC who has made outstanding contributions to military engineering. The medal is named after Adm. Ben Moreell, chief of the Navys Bureau of Yards and Docks and the driving force in the creation of the Navy Seabees. Moreell served as president of SAME in 1941.
Commander, 30th NCR provides operational control over naval engineering forces throughout the Pacific, Southwest Asia and the western United States in response to combat commander and naval component commander requirements. They serve an integral part of the NCF and accomplish major combat operations, theater security cooperation, humanitarian assistance, disaster recovery and Phase Zero requirements across the Pacific area of responsibility.
Lt. Cmdr. Michael Guzzi, second from right, and members of Republic of Korea Navy receive a briefing from BU1 Jeffrey Wyttenbach, NMCB 3 on the status of the new Commander, Fleet Activities Chinhae (CFAC) Cold Storage Warehouse, Sept. 25, 2015, Chinhae, Republic of Korea. Photo by BU3 Nathan Carrasco/150925-N-GU966-001