NAVFAC Marianas safety team earns FY25 CNO safety award for small industrial

SANTA RITA, Guam - Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Marianas has been awarded the Fiscal Year 2025 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Shore Safety Award in the Small Non‑Industrial Command category, marking the command’s fourth recognition for excellence in Navy safety performance.

NAVFAC Marianas previously earned the CNO Safety Award in 2007, 2016, and 2025, demonstrating commitment to building and sustaining a culture of safety across the Marianas.

“This award validates the command’s excellence in risk management, mishap prevention, and operational readiness,” said Melissa Cruz, NAVFAC Marianas Safety & Occupational Health Manager. “It speaks volumes about our Culture of Safety, where hazard identification and mitigation are integrated into our daily mission and even our off‑duty activities. It also reflects our leadership’s commitment, accountability, recognition, and empowerment within the Command Safety and Health Program.”

NAVFAC Marianas Commanding Officer Capt. Alan Eichelman applauded the safety team for their accomplishment, not only for the award-winning efforts in 2025, but also for their dedication to their profession every day, all year long.

“I could not be more proud of the NAVFAC team. They are dedicated professionals with a clear understanding of mission and bias towards action; all grounded in a safety culture built on individual and team accountability. The team leads from the front every day, and this award recognizes what we already knew at NAVFAC Marianas. There is no better group of facility and safety professionals in the Navy,” stated Eichelman.

The CNO Shore Safety Awards recognize Navy commands that demonstrate superior performance in safety management, mishap reduction, and proactive risk mitigation. Cruz noted that earning this award requires a rigorous, command‑wide effort.

“To be recognized, a command must show strong processes that improve operational readiness, prevent mishaps, and share lessons learned,” she said. “It takes engaged leadership, supervisors, managers, and employees all working toward the same safety goals.”

Cruz added that the team overcame several challenges in FY25, including meeting ambitious goals for reducing preventable mishaps and achieving a minimum 90 percent compliance rate in training, medical surveillance, and hazard abatement closure. Cruz also emphasized that the command’s safety philosophy is rooted in Commitment, Accountability, Recognition, and Empowerment (CARE).

“CARE is more than a tagline; it’s the foundation of our safety culture,” she said. “Leadership provides the commitment and resources, we maintain accountability through daily protocols, and the real impact comes from recognizing the team’s efforts and empowering employees to stop work if something feels unsafe. We look forward to strengthening communication channels so every employee’s voice is heard, making CARE a continuous, proactive process.”

NAVFAC Marianas will continue advancing its safety program in alignment with the Navy’s Get Real, Get Better philosophy, focusing on transparency, continuous improvement, and operational readiness.