Navy changes who calls the shots on maintenance and repairs at bases worldwide

Navy base commanders are gaining greater control over everyday repairs and maintenance on their installations under a worldwide reorganization involving about 10,000 military and civilian workers.

The service completed the restructuring’s second phase on Sept. 20, transferring 8,000 public works and maintenance personnel from Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command to Navy Installations Command, according to a Sept. 22 Navy news release.

Placing maintenance teams under base leadership should allow commanders to make decisions and prioritize repairs more quickly, Vice Adm. Scott Gray, head of Navy Installations Command, said in the release.

“This move is all about giving our base commanders the tools and authority they need to get the job done,” he said.

Previously, public works personnel ultimately reported through the separate engineering command.

The reorganization comes as the Pentagon faces an estimated $285 billion backlog of deferred facility maintenance.

The military services funded about 80% of their estimated maintenance needs in fiscal 2025, short of the department’s 90% goal, according to an August report by the Government Accountability Office.

The watchdog also found shortages of maintenance workers and inconsistent tracking of work orders. Installation officials examined by the agency said limited funding forced them to choose which repairs to complete and which to postpone.

The Navy has not said the reorganization will provide additional maintenance money or reduce existing repair backlogs.

The transition began in February, when about 2,000 employees responsible for facilities management and environmental services moved to Navy Installations Command. The service said at the time that no jobs would be eliminated.

The remaining 8,000 public works and support personnel transferred in the second phase.

The change will take effect later in Japan, where affected host-nation and U.S. civilian employees are slated to transfer Nov. 1 because of country-specific personnel requirements, according to the Sept. 22 release.