Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Keyly Santizo | Alessandro Biancardi, Senior Community Planner, is recognized as the Naval Facilities...... read more read more
In a command defined by concrete, contracts, and code, it is the human element that provides the true foundation. This year, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT) is honoring three people whose dedication and ingenuity kept the Navy’s mission running when it mattered most.
The command recently named Sabine Silverstein from Public Works Department (PWD) Souda Bay, Greece, as Supervisor of the Year; Alessandro Biancardi from Facilities Engineering Command Naples, Italy, as Senior Civilian of the Year; and Ines Martin Mesa from PWD Rota, Spain, as Junior Civilian of the Year in its 2025 Civilians of the Year awards.
“Through remarkable efforts and unwavering dedication, these individuals have become the standard-bearers for our command,” said Capt. Andrew Olsen, commanding officer of NAVFAC EURAFCENT. “Their contributions have directly enhanced our mission readiness and left an indelible mark on our success, setting a new benchmark for excellence that resonates across the entire team.”
Silverstein, Biancardi, and Martin Mesa distinguished themselves not just through performance, but by holding the line when it mattered most.
The Anchor in the Storm: Sabine Silverstein When a near-catastrophic staffing shortage left her department at 33% strength, Supervisory Contracting Officer Sabine Silverstein did more than fill the gaps—she became the bulwark. As the high-pressure end of the fiscal year loomed, she absorbed the duties of a senior contracting officer, guiding her team to execute nearly 60% of the entire year’s project value. Her leadership pushed more than $15.2 million in critical contracts across the finish line.
Originally from Destin, Fla., Silverstein was also the driving force behind a critical $75 million Multiple Award Construction Contract and a pioneering move to the FedMall acquisition platform—a first in the region, moves that secure the installations operational future for years to come.
For Silverstein, who holds a master's degree in management information systems from Bowie State University, the recognition is a testament to her team's collaborative spirit.
“In contracting, you learn very quickly that you never accomplish anything alone,” said Silverstein. “The cohesiveness between the teams here is something I have not experienced anywhere else. “This isn't just a personal honor; it's a direct reflection of that incredible teamwork.”
The Engineer of the Future: Alessandro Biancardi From his office at Naval Support Activity Naples, Senior Community Planner Alessandro Biancardi is playing the long game. The Naples native is the strategic mind behind the “Naples 2.0” initiative, a sweeping modernization effort to prepare the installation for the next generation of mission requirements.
Managing an $8 million portfolio of more than 30 planning initiatives, Biancardi’s work is already transformational. His forward-thinking strategies have improved project delivery timelines by 20% and increasing space utilization by an average of 15% across the command.
“Honestly this is very humbling,” said Biancardi. “I see this as a reflection of the team I work with every day.” A graduate of the University of Naples Federico II with a master's degree in mechanical engineering, Biancardi has been with NAVFAC for nearly a decade. He views his success as a shared victory.
“In reality, this recognition belongs to the teams I work with,” he said. “None of what I’ve accomplished would have been possible without their support, collaboration, and shared commitment to our mission.”
The Digital Pathfinder: Ines Martin Mesa When a critical system-wide outage threatened to paralyze operations at PWD Rota, Martin Mesa, an administrative support-production scheduler, stepped into the breach. With her support team at just 50% capacity, she single-handedly designed and implemented a shared tracking site for service calls. Her innovation streamlined a backlog of 1,362 requests, ensuring that more than 18,000 work orders and 30 construction projects valued at more than $1 million continued without disruption.
Her analytical skills also flagged a potential 26% manpower shortage in key trades, giving leadership the crucial data needed to prevent a future crisis.
“It feels great to be recognized,” said Martin Mesa, who hails from El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. A triple graduate from Universidad Pablo de Olavide, she remains focused on the collective effort. “We have such an amazing team here and we all work together so hard. Each and every one of them deserves recognition as well.”
The work of Silverstein, Biancardi, and Martin Mesa is more than just efficient management; it represents the critical infrastructure that allows U.S. and allied forces to operate effectively in Europe and Africa and Middle East. Their efforts ensure facilities and the infrastructure is ready for Sailors so the mission can proceed without disruption.
About Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Europe, Africa, Central NAVFAC EURAFCENT delivers construction, engineering and contracting as a critical component of the Navy Shore Enterprise across Europe, Africa and Middle East to enable Fleet and joint force lethality and power projection across the competition continuum.
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2026 05:27 |
| Story ID: | 562319 |
| Location: | NAPLES, IT |
| Hometown: | CADIZ, ES |
| Hometown: | NAPLES, IT |
| Hometown: | DESTIN, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honoring Excellence: Meet the NAVFAC EURAFCENT Civilians of the Year, by Anthony Cage, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
