WASHINGTON — Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington has announced Lt. Charles Pitchford as its new Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) accessions officer, a role responsible for recruiting and evaluating future CEC officers for the Navy.
Pitchford’s interest in military service began in childhood, but it was learning about the Naval Construction Force that set his course. “Once I heard about the Seabees I thought they were the coolest people out there and wanted to be a part of their team,” he said.
His career has taken him from Bahrain, where he served as a construction manager handling smaller task orders as an Ensign, to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. There, he supported the earthquake recovery program as construction manager for the newly built P-1911 Range Control Complex military construction (MILCON) project before moving into roles as Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division Director, Project Management and Engineering Branch and MILCON Program Manager.
In his new position, Pitchford said he plans to take a rigorous approach to evaluating applicants. “I plan to take a critical look at every new applicant to truly see if they are a great fit for our community,” he said. While the role sits apart from NAVFAC Washington’s daily mission, he noted that bringing in strong candidates ultimately strengthens the broader NAVFAC enterprise and the Navy as a whole.
Asked about a guiding principle, Pitchford pointed to the value of perspective. “Find the positives in every situation,” he said. “If you can’t see them today, have faith that you will see them tomorrow.”
Pitchford recently relocated from California with his wife, Meredith, and their dog, Benji. He is a proud fan of the Seattle Seahawks, calling them “the greatest football team in the world.”
Despite his shift away from day-to-day NAVFAC operations, Pitchford encouraged colleagues to reach out. “If you have a problem, I might have seen it before, or I can at least lend an ear,” he said.