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WASHINGTON — Commander, Navy Installations Command on May 6 named the winners of its 2025 Installation Navy Security Force of the Year awards, which spotlight the Navy’s top-performing installation security departments worldwide. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay earned the Large Installation honor, and Naval Support Activity Souda Bay won in the Small Installation category. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Naval Air Station Whiting Field were runners-up for large and small installations, respectively.
“In today’s complex global security Environment, the collective skill and vigilance of our installation security teams are more critical than ever,” said Capt. Chris Breckenridge, CNIC’s director of force protection. “The security departments at these award-winning installations have demonstrated an unmatched ability to innovate and execute the force protection mission at the highest level, directly contributing to the security and operational readiness of the fleet.”
The annual competition evaluates departments across areas such as anti-terrorism programs, training proficiency, and execution of the force protection mission. The program’s senior enlisted leader underscored the central role of unit cohesion in reaching that standard.
“Winning Installation NSF of the Year is about superior teamwork, which is the foundation for building and executing advanced technical expertise,” said Command Master Chief Marc Jones, senior enlisted leader of CNIC’s force protection department. “This award celebrates every single Sailor in the department — their long hours on watch, their commitment to rigorous training, and their ability to come together as a seamless unit to defend the installation. It’s their combined skill and dedication that makes a team worthy of this recognition.”
Guantanamo Bay, on Cuba’s southeastern coast, hosts one of the Navy’s most isolated and strategically situated installations. Souda Bay operates on the island of Crete in Greece, supporting U.S. and allied operations in the Mediterranean. NAS Whidbey Island is based in Washington state, and NAS Whiting Field is in Florida.
CNIC serves as the Navy’s global shore enterprise manager, overseeing 10 regions and 70 installations with a workforce of more than 48,600. The command develops and sustains shore infrastructure and quality-of-life services, and equips bases to support fleet operations.
