Southwest Regional Maintenance Center

In this week’s SWRMC Spotlight, we honor our Lean Green Belt graduates, celebrate the U.S. Navy birthday, and relay a message of thanks from CAPT. Dale Gregory Jr., Commanding Officer of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

SWRMC celebrated the Navy’s 249th birthday on 11 October! The theme of this year’s celebration is “Warfighting Strength and Readiness” - highlighting our Navy’s focus, that everything we do and have done is through a warfighting lens, to deliver decisive combat power. The Navy’s birthday cake-cutting ceremony is a cherished tradition symbolizing both the heritage and future of our Navy family. We are proud to support the warfighter in delivering combat ready ships back to the Fleet!

This week’s Spotlight highlights repairs aboard USS Harper’s Ferry (LSD 49), a Command Resiliency Team meeting to discuss the upcoming organizational command climate survey, and the recent graduation of a SWRMC employee from NAVSEA’s Journey Level Leadership Program.

Please join SWRMC in congratulating our newest Chief Petty Officers! Selected as the best among their peer group and tested by a Chief's initiation, these Sailors have earned the right today to proudly wear their anchors. We look forward to their leadership as they step into the next stage of their careers. Welcome to the Chiefs' Mess! #navychiefnavypride #NAVSEA #CNRMC

Last week, 16 members of SWRMC’s Sailor 360 program volunteered their time to assist with the USS Midway Museum clean-up effort. The Sailors received the following thanks from museum staff: “Your work in assisting our Engineering staff with the upkeep and maintenance of our ship will be noticed and greatly appreciated by our volunteers, staff, and, most importantly, by the thousands of guests who visit every day. Thank you for a job well done in helping preserve what we like to call ‘America’s Living Symbol of Freedom’.” Sailor 360 is a Navy-wide initiative to develop junior enlisted Sailors and strengthen them in their professional and personal lives. The opportunities provided in the program is a boost for military careers and helps to create stronger Sailors for SWRMC and the Navy as a whole.

This week’s SWRMC Spotlight highlights our special awards ceremony to recognize the Sailors and civilians who supported USS Boxer (LHD 4) repairs earlier this year; our newest cadre of Leadership Exploration and Development Program graduates; and a recognition of our teams who provided ship maintenance over the Labor Day weekend.

This week, we recognized the Sailors and civilians instrumental in enabling USS Boxer (LHD 4) to be mission ready. Alongside SWRMC leadership, CMDCM (SW/EXW/IW/AW/PJ) Blake Schimmel, NAVSEA Command Master Chief, presented well-deserved awards to recognize their outstanding contributions. The lessons learned and the bonds forged during this restoration period have greatly enhanced our operational capabilities. Our team used out-of-the box thinking to come up with innovative solutions that not only addressed the immediate challenges but also laid the groundwork for future success. We are proud of each member of our SWRMC team for what they do to support the warfighter and Navy in accomplishing the mission!

Congratulations to our Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) Cadre VIII graduates! The LEAD program was developed exclusively at SWRMC to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to be effective leaders. Over the course of six months, students are given dedicated time to explore the complexities of leadership, communications, decision making, and organizational citizenship. Since its inception in 2019, we have had 126 SWRMC employees graduate from the program. “This leadership program has had a positive impact on the careers of so many of our SWRMC team, and I am grateful for the opportunity to play a part in their development,” said Meka Bachman, SWRMC Leadership Development program manager. We look forward to the continued growth of these graduates and are excited to see what they bring to SWRMC as well as the DOD at large!

This week our Spotlight shines on the work of our project teams, future leaders, and a congressional visit!

Command diversity took center stage at our annual multicultural event! We had a full day of representation and inclusion in the forms of live music, educational displays, guest speakers, performances and cultural food sampling. At SWRMC, our culture is deeply rooted in the contributions of every team member. To quote our commanding officer, CAPT. Karosich: "Everyone plays a vital role in our mission's success." Our diverse SWRMC community is a testament to this principle, and it's precisely this diversity and spirit of inclusivity that drives our achievements. This culture of equality and inclusion fuels innovation, strengthens our problem-solving abilities, and creates a more inclusive and fulfilling work environment. Thank you to our many guest speakers and performers who volunteered their time, talents, and culture with us: Gift of Dance, Firme Alianza, House of Balboa, CAPT Pamela Saucedo, LCDR Norris Charles (RET), BM2 Elshalynn Yu, BM2 Annamarie Panapa, DJ RaymondT, Barona Cultural Center & Museum, Ashley Sparks, CLSSBB, and Veronica Zerrer.