Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Heather Salzman | 200618-N-MW964-1114 PORT HUENEME, Calif. (Jun. 18, 2020) – Capt. David H. McAlister,...... read more read more
PORT HUENEME, Calif. (June 18, 2020) – Naval Construction Group (NCG) 1 held a change
of command ceremony in which, Capt. Matthew Riethmiller relieved Capt. David McAlister as
Commander, NCG 1, on Naval Base Ventura County, June 18.
In a traditional NCG 1 change of command, companies of the Group’s ten subordinate units
would parade the grinder with colors of their commands. Today however, the ceremony was
much simpler without the usual pomp and circumstance. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no
subordinate units participated in the traditional way, instead witnessing the entire event via
livestream along with hundreds of other Sailors, Seabees, and civilians using social media
platforms.
McAlister, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee and a graduate of University of Tennessee, has
served as NCG 1 commodore since June 2018. During his tenure, he oversaw the organizing,
manning, training, equipping, deploying and sustainment of ten subordinate units to include three
active Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCB) 3, 4, and 5. Three reserve battalions, two
Naval Construction Regiments, a Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit, and an Underwater
Construction Team, totaling 4,700 Sailors and Seabees on the Pacific Coast.
In his opening remarks, McAlister expressed his gratitude from the local community and
supporters of our military service.
“I would like to start out this morning by expressing my appreciation to the countless supporters
of our force and to all those individuals, communities, and organizations that give so much to
take care of our Seabees and our families,” said McAlister.
Seabees have been in Port Hueneme onboard Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme
(previously called Camp Rousseau) since May 18, 1942. NCG-1, in its many forms, has been
here since 1944, previously known as the 31 st Naval Construction Regiment, 31 st Seabee
Readiness Group, and ultimately in 2013, Naval Construction Group 1.
“To Naval Construction Group 1, you are an amazing command made up of professional leaders
and true patriots,” said McAlister. “I stood before you two years ago and asked you to rethink
our business, to operate with a sense of urgency and maximize our effectiveness. You not only
met this challenge, but exceeded it beyond my wildest expectations in ever department at every
level.”
McAlister will report to Commander, Naval Installations Command, Washington D.C., in July
for his next assignment
In his closing remarks, McAlister addressed the command one last time and expressed his
confidence and optimism for the command’s future.
“It has been my upmost honor to serve with each of you in the Pacific Fleet Construction Force
and to see the accomplishments and initiative in action. The Naval Construction Force is better
because of the Seabees and Sailors within it owning their missions and executing accordingly.”
The change of command was solidified by the passing of the unit’s colors from McAlister to
Riethmiller, a tradition amongst Naval Construction Force units.
After the passing of the colors, Riethmiller addressed his command of over 4,700 personnel to
include civilian and contractors, via social media for the first time as their new commanding
officer.
“Ceremonies are about celebrating heritage, which is important, we will never ask our Seabees
and their families to sacrifice when unneeded.” said Riethmiller. “Today’s ceremony, while one
of the strangest that I have taken part in, serves at the foot of those people and protects our
members and their families.”
Riethmiller is a native of Columbus, Ohio and graduate of The Ohio State University. He began
his naval career as the Assistant Public Works officer of Naval Air Station Mississippi. His
pervious duties include: Company Commander, NMCB 3; Aide to the Commander, 1 st Naval
Construction Division; Assistant Public Works Officer, Norfolk Naval Station; Operations
Officer, NMCB 11; Energy Action Officer, Chief of Naval Operations Shore Readiness
Division; Assistant Operations Officer and Integrated Product Team Blue lead, NAVFAC
Washington; Public Works Officer, Naval Base Coronado Complex; Commanding Officer,
NMCB 5; and Operations Officer, NAVFAC Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
Riethmiller finished his speech with a look ahead, “My philosophy is simple. Be the best at the
thing the free world needs the most. How do we do that? By serving one boss: not me, not the
admiral and not the Pacific Fleet, but instead the second class petty officer, the crew leader, or
the fire team leader. Those sailors and their people will build everything our nation needs to
defend and defeat the evil in the Pacific.”
NCG 1 prepares Pacific Fleet Naval Construction Force (NCF) units to conduct expeditionary
and deliberate construction in support of Combatant Commanders and warfighter requirements.
They do this through combat and construction training; equipment and maintenance training; and
the logistical and mobilization support of their subordinate units.
NCG 1 exercises administrative control over ten U.S. Navy construction units.
| Date Taken: | 06.18.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2020 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 372613 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 1,524 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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