Bryan P. Long, PE selected the NAVFAC EURAFCENT Civilian Engineer of the Year

Photo By Lisa Woodbury Rama | Capt. Joseph D. Harder III, Commanding Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Europe, Africa and Central Command announced Oct. 13 that Mr. Bryan Long, Utilities and Energy Management Branch Head, Public Works Department, Rota, Spain is the command’s Civilian Engineer of the Year for 2022.  

SPAIN

10.19.2021

Story by Lisa Woodbury Rama 

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Europe Africa Central

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Europe, Africa and Central Commands (NAVFAC EURAFCENT) proudly announced Bryan Long, Utilities and Energy Management (UEM) Branch Head, Public Works Department (PWD), Rota, Spain as the NAVFAC EURAFCENT Civilian Engineer of the Year for 2022 in an email sent by Capt. Joseph D. Harder III, Commanding Officer, on Oct 13.
Long, a NAVFAC employee since 2003, is a 2018 Naval Post Graduate School graduate with a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and 2003 Washington University graduate with a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering
“Brian came to Rota with a strong reputation and high expectations. He has lived up to both by getting his hands wrapped around a very complex and dynamic utilities program with many large scale projects in planning and in execution. He continues to build on the success of the program and we are fortunate to have him at the helm of a talented team of professionals," said Cmdr. Joe Dunaway, Public Works Officer, PWD Rota.
Mr. Long reported to PWD Rota in Aug. 2020. He manages a staff of 59 military; U.S. government civilians and Spanish host national employees responsible for operating one of the Navy's few electric power conversion plants. He supervised major upgrades to the plant that increased the capacity of a 35-70 year-old power system and directly improved mission support across Naval Station Rota. Long managed the commissioning of a large-scale 6 megawatt photovoltaic farm ensuring that the contractor delivered a system capable of synchronizing with the existing distribution grid and enabling the installation to leverage the abundant solar energy in southern Spain.

Manuel Rebollo Descalzo, UEM High Voltage Crew Leader and thirty-year NAVFAC Spanish national employee, applauds Long’s selection.
“Bryan’s presence has been huge in UEM workplace. He is very kind and sympathetic person, as well as the most intellectual guy that I’ve ever met; he makes everyone around him smarter, and people just want to be around him,” said Rebollo Descalzo.
Long impressively managed his team throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing electrical power and water to over 6,000 U.S. personnel while responding to 14 unplanned electrical and water outages throughout sporadic pandemic restrictions.
“I've been playing competitive team sports since I was just over 4 years old - being from St. Louis, Mo, we start 'em young in baseball,” Long said his feelings on receiving this award.

“Throughout my entire life, I've learned and re-learned that being a part of a team means we all have to do our part to make the team successful. I have been extremely blessed and fortunate to have this amazing team here at UEM Rota. I owe a huge "thank you" to them for helping me to get in the right place to receive such an award, and for continuing to do what they do best every day: come to work, put in a hard, rewarding effort, and ensure the utilities here in Rota, Spain for the most part go un-noticed. Clean water and clean electrons always flowing in and wastewater always flowing out,” he said.

NAVFAC EURAFCENT executes approximately $1 billion per year in construction, professional engineering and facilities services for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and NATO commands in countries throughout Europe, Africa and Central Command where the Navy is the DoD lead agent for military construction.

• Date Taken: 10.19.2021
• Date Posted: 10.19.2021 04:27
• Story ID: 407523
• Location: ES