Navy shore commander visits Navy Region Southeast bases

WASHINGTON — Vice Adm. Scott Gray, the head of Commander, Navy Installations Command, toured multiple bases in Navy Region Southeast to gauge how well shore facilities are backing up the fleet and supporting service members and their families.

His itinerary included Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, Naval Air Station Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field and Naval Support Activity Panama City.

“Every installation is a critical warfighting platform, directly enabling fleet readiness and lethality,” said Gray. “Visiting our bases and meeting with the leaders and Sailors on the ground postures the Shore Enterprise to meet global challenges. Our installations are run by professionals who understand their essential role in providing readiness and support to the warfighter.”

Across the stops, Gray sat down with base leadership on local priorities and Navy-wide efforts, and reviewed key infrastructure and quality-of-service sites. The evaluations are intended to keep the shore enterprise synchronized with operational needs and to sustain the facilities and services the fleet relies on.

At NCBC Gulfport, Gray was briefed on a reimagined galley that will debut rotating ethnic food stations to broaden menu options. The dining facility is also getting a refreshed interior with a Liberty Corner lounge designed as a relaxed space for sailors to gather and connect. The changes are part of a pilot tied to the Navy’s food service transformation, aimed at raising food quality and turning dining halls into community hubs.

In Pensacola, Gray walked through unaccompanied housing to underscore the service’s push for safe, modern living spaces. At NSA Panama City, he visited family housing and the installation’s child development center.

“From the barracks I saw at NAS Pensacola to the child development center at NSA Panama City, it’s clear that the strength of our Navy in the Southeast is directly tied to the well-being of our people,” said Gray. “Taking care of our Sailors and their families isn’t just a priority; it’s a warfighting imperative.”

While at NAS Whiting Field, Gray presented the 2026 CNIC Installation Excellence Award for small installations to commanding officer Capt. Ted Elkins. The base had also earned the inaugural 2025 Shore Battle “E” Award. The excellence award highlights comprehensive performance aligned with shore enterprise strategic objectives, while the Shore Battle “E” recognizes installations that excel at generating and sustaining combat capability.

“Earning both the Installation Excellence Award and the Shore Battle ‘E’ is a testament to the incredible team we have here at Whiting Field,” said Elkins. “From enabling over 1.3 million flight operations to training 100 percent of all Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard helicopter pilots, our team consistently delivers. Their dedication is what allows us to produce nearly 600 new aviators for the fleet annually while also leading the way in resource management and community partnership. I couldn’t be prouder of the work they do every single day.”

CNIC manages the Navy’s global shore infrastructure and quality-of-life programs, developing integrated solutions to sustain and modernize bases worldwide. The command oversees 10 regions, 70 installations and a workforce of more than 48,600, with a mission centered on warfighting readiness and ensuring the shore force is manned, trained and equipped to support fleet operations.