From Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs
NORFOLK, VA – Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic (NAVFAC MIDLANT) named Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Male, P.E., CEC, Public Works Officer for Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Earle Public Works Department (PWD), and Robert Delgado‑Navarro, P.E., Design Director for Naval Station Great Lakes PWD, as its 2026 Military and Civilian Engineers of the Year, respectively, in recognition of their exceptional leadership, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to mission excellence. Male was also announced as the NAVFAC-wide Military Engineer of the Year and will move on to compete in the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Federal Engineer of the Year Award program. He is slated to co-represent NAVFAC at the NSPE Federal Engineer of the Year Awards ceremony on Feb. 27 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
“Each year, we recognize peer‑nominated individuals whose exceptional performance and dedication strengthen their profession, NAVFAC, and the Navy,” said Capt. Ryan Carey, NAVFAC MIDLANT. “These nominees stand out through their achievements, service to their communities, pursuit of professional growth, and leadership within technical and professional circles. It’s with great pride that we congratulate Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Male and Robert Delgado‑Navarro for their exceptional accomplishments.”
Lt. Cmdr. Male, a Niskayuna, New York native, brings more than 20 years of distinguished engineering experience, decorated military service, and a proud family legacy of military and civil engineering to the command. A summa cum laude graduate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern Maine and a commissioned Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officer through OCS, he has continued to build an exceptional academic foundation throughout his career. He earned a Master Certificate in Cybersecurity Fundamentals from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Joint Professional Military Education Phase I with distinction from the Naval War College, a Great Power Competition Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School and completed executive education at the University of Virginia’s Darden School. He is also a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maine.
Following in the footsteps of relatives who served in both World Wars, he began his naval career as a nuclear electronics technician aboard USS Charlotte (SSN 766), earning his “dolphins” during a historic North Pole surfacing. After commissioning into the CEC, he led 22 Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE Seabees in expeditionary construction in Yokosuka, Japan, and later taught Electrical and Computer Engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Since assuming duties as PWO in 2023, he has led a team of 100 military and civilian personnel responsible for the construction, acquisition, and sustainment of a 2.9‑mile pier complex, 670 facilities, 85 miles of certified federal railroad, and a 12,000‑acre installation valued at $4.7 billion. His leadership drove a 12 percent reduction in vacancy rates through hiring reforms and guided the planning of $1 billion in modernization projects to support expanding mission requirements across multiple Navy Type Commands (TYCOMs). Selected in 2025 as one of only 36 officers for the Chief of Naval Operations research fellowship, he is contributing to solutions that enhance maintenance availability for ships, submarines, aircraft, and weapons systems. His attainment of the Certified Energy Manager credential in 2024 further underscores his commitment to continuous improvement, energy efficiency, and data‑driven engineering excellence.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled by being selected for this honor. During my tour at Naval Weapons Station Earle, I have been extremely fortunate to work with outstanding mentors throughout NAVFAC MIDLANT, and the region truly has an exceptional group of PWOs whose guidance has been vital in helping our team address complex challenges at the installation. I could not ask for a more talented group of professionals, both across the region and on my own staff,” said Lt. Cmdr. Male. “Our team consistently goes above and beyond to ensure mission success, supporting the delivery of ordnance to the Atlantic Fleet’s Carrier and Expeditionary Strike Groups.”
Delgado‑Navarro, a Portsmouth, Virginia native, carries forward a family legacy of service – his father also served as a CEC officer. He brings to NAVFAC a distinguished blend of military experience, civil engineering heritage, and extensive global and technical expertise. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin. His Navy career began through the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program and includes more than a decade of active‑duty service in the Civil Engineer Corps, followed by continued service in the Navy Reserve since 2020. He first supported NAVFAC during his active‑duty tour in 2014 and returned to the organization as a civilian in 2022.
Over the course of his career, he has executed engineering projects around the world, from constructing facilities in war zones and supporting humanitarian missions to managing complex military construction efforts and developing infrastructure for underserved communities. These experiences reinforced his belief in enduring trust placed in the engineering profession and the responsibility engineers carry to safeguard the public.
“This was truly an unexpected but very welcome surprise. While many in my office are equally deserving, it means a great deal to have the hard work we put in this year recognized,” said Delgado‑Navarro. “Having started work with my team as a Design Manager, I’ve gotten to know each of my colleagues better and appreciated how everyone supported one another. After stepping into the Co‑Design Director role, I couldn’t be more pleased to help lead my team and witness their dedication and professionalism firsthand. I feel honored to co‑manage such a wonderful team of engineers and architects, and I attribute much of our success to my former supervisor, and now colleague, Charles Madary.” (Note: Madary was awarded the 2025 Architect, Landscape Architect & Interior Designer of the Year.)
Throughout his tenure at NS Great Lakes, Delgado‑Navarro has played a pivotal role in delivering more than $158 million in critical Navy infrastructure projects. His leadership has been especially impactful over the past three years, during which he guided three urgent, high‑visibility efforts. For the Navy’s Facility Structural Inspection Program, he was a member of the team that assessed the structural condition of 100 buildings across the installation, producing comprehensive, actionable reports well ahead of schedule. He also spearheaded a $27 million emergency repair effort for the station’s potable water treatment plant, demonstrating exceptional technical judgment in requirements development, scope definition, design evaluation, and contract award, setting the foundation for construction work that began in late 2025.
He also served as the initial planner, technical reviewer, and estimator for the $120 million Halsey Village demolition and restoration project, a congressionally visible effort involving 352 Public‑Private Venture housing units. His planning accelerated the first two phases of what was originally a 12‑year, three‑phase effort, enabling environmental remediation to begin in 2026. Balancing demanding project responsibilities with family life and continued Navy Reserve service, he has consistently demonstrated the engineering acumen, leadership, and professional integrity that define the Navy’s most trusted technical experts.
“In my professional career, I’ve noticed that across the spectrum of jobs I’ve held, the amount of trust and respect people have for the engineering profession is unwavering,” he said. “When people need to rely on a technical subject‑matter expert … someone who has spent years studying and is trained to put the interest and safety of the public first … engineering is held among the top professions in the world.”
NAVFAC MIDLANT provides facilities engineering, public works and environmental products and services across an area of responsibility that spans from South Carolina to Maine, as far west as Illinois, and down to Indiana. As an integral member of the Commander, Naval Installations Command team, NAVFAC MIDLANT helps to ensure regional facilities and infrastructure are managed efficiently and effectively.
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