Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington has selected Jennifer Blaess, a licensed architect and seasoned Navy facilities leader, as its permanent deputy operations officer, a critical role responsible for programming and executing engineering products and services across the command's supported installations.
Capt. Daniel Schmitt, NAVFAC Washington's commanding officer, announced the appointment, citing Blaess' deep technical background and record of leading complex portfolios across multiple NAVFAC commands, including NAVFAC Far East and NAVFAC Atlantic. She most recently served as NAVFAC Washington's Assistant Chief Engineer.
Blaess steps into a role that sits at the center of how NAVFAC Washington delivers for the fleet; from supporting headquarters operations along the National Capital Region to enabling direct warfighter missions at installations such as Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Dahlgren and Indian Head.
"It's really just meeting the needs of each supported command and how they play a part in the overall mission of the Navy," Blaess said.
Growing up in a Navy household, the mission has always been personal for Blaess, the daughter of the late Navy Master Chief, James H. Byl. Seeing the direct impact her work has on those who serve, she draws a clear line between the facilities her team delivers and the sailors and families who depend on them.
"I can imagine that what I'm doing impacts someone else's dad, someone else's mom," she said. "I like trying to make our facilities for the Navy, for our warfighters, for our sailors, for their families the best that we can possibly afford with the resources we have."
Blaess brings a pragmatic, risk-informed approach to operations, one shaped by years of navigating complex technical decisions under pressure.
"We don't have to have the hundred percent solution," she said. "Sometimes the 80 percent solution and staying on time is what's most important."
A Virginia Tech graduate and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, Blaess holds a Bachelor of Architecture and is a graduate of the NAVFAC Leadership Development Program. She has authored several Military Engineer articles and has represented NAVFAC Washington at various industry conferences.