Seabee Earns Commendation for Leadership on Walter Reed Construction Projects

Photo By Matthew Stinson | Lt. Cmdr. Ian Underwood, military construction director, is representing Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington for Engineers Week. He serves at Naval Support Activity Bethesda which supports Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as well as other tenet commands.  

BETHESDA, MD, UNITED STATES

08.17.2021

Story by Matthew Stinson 

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Washington

Lt. Cmdr. Ian Underwood earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for meritorious service while serving Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington as Comprehensive Master Plan Director at Public Works Department Bethesda, from June 2018 to June 2021.

Underwood expertly supervised 25 civilians and one officer in the delivery of four Defense Health Agency Military Construction projects at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center totaling $800 million. He superbly led pre-award negotiations, drove process improvement, and developed robust governance to ensure quality and timely delivery, enhancing medical readiness capabilities at the military’s flagship healthcare institution.

“With Rick Drake, Cmdr. Troy Brown, Lindsey Brown, Thuy Le, and the Design and Construction leadership at the Core, we built a strong team of professionals to tackle the long cycle of work going on at Bethesda,” Underwood said. “This is one of the longest-planned and highest-dollar single projects in NAVFAC's portfolio, and the technical complexity and sensitive work environment, nested within an active hospital, will lead to many challenges. I'm proud to have been a part of this group at its early stages and am confident in their abilities going forward.”

Underwood has assumed duty as Assistant Operations Officer for NAVFAC EURAFCENT in Naples, Italy, but had parting words for his NAVFAC Washington teammates.

“In addition to those already mentioned, my thanks go out to folks like Sam Nouri, Jean Band, Sean Hanlon and Lt. Cmdr. Josh Bly that gave our team and our projects their all. It is the diligent efforts of stalwart professionals such as these that keep our organization going over the years, and I am always appreciative of their time and thankful for their efforts and positive attitudes.”

• Date Taken: 08.17.2021
• Date Posted: 08.17.2021 15:22
• Story ID: 403280
• Location: BETHESDA, MD, US