Moreell Medal Awarded to Lt. Cmdr. Ryan P. Carey of NMCB-11

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 11
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael

Date: 04.19.2013
Posted: 04.24.2013 12:14
News ID: 105739

GULFPORT, Miss. – The Society of American Military Engineers awarded the annual Moreell Medal to Navy Civil Engineer Corps Lt. Cmdr. Ryan P. Carey, Operations Officer for Naval Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11, for calendar year 2012.

In a message from Commander Naval Facilities Engineering Command (COMNAVFACENGCOM), Rear Adm. Katherine L. Gregory praised the Williamsburg, Va., native for “inspirational leadership and unsurpassed professional expertise as he led engineering operations across the entire country of Afghanistan.”

Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, Commanding Officer of NMCB-11, had the following to say of Carey. “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.”

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.