Marines

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Cmdr. Marc Delao, the officer in charge of construction for Marine Corps Installations-East relinquished his position in an elegant ceremony at the Marston Pavilion aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune June 14.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jackeline M. Perez Rivera

Base welcomes new officer in charge for construction

14 Jun 2012 | Lance Cpl. Jackeline M. Perez Rivera Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

After two years manning the construction efforts aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, the officer in charge of construction for Marine Corps Installations-East relinquished his position in an elegant ceremony at the Marston Pavilion aboard the base June 14.

Cmdr. Marc Delao passed the reins for the post to Cmdr. Scott Cloyd, who is now instrumental in the planning, design, acquisition, construction and maintenance of all facilities aboard the base presently valued at $6.7 billion, according a pamphlet distributed at the event.

The ceremony took place in in the Betio room of Marston Pavilion, and Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Gorry, the commanding general of Marine Corps Installations East – MCB Camp Lejeune, spoke at the event and described it as “smart and dignified.”

“Two years ago this place looked like a cave, it was the old Marston Pavilion,” said Delao, while sharing memories of his time at MCB Camp Lejeune. “Curtis Moore and Dan Coster had a project and what we have now is the new Marston Pavilion. It’s very impressive and used extensively.”

Delao spoke with charm, recalling the construction of the base’s new front gate and other obstacles, and thanking everybody involved in the projects throughout his tour. He said he’s strongly optimistic for the base’s future.

Delao received a Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding service during his time aboard the base.

“Commander Delao’s visionary leadership galvanized the command’s 104-person military, civilian and contractor workforce at three geographically separate construction offices to superbly execute a workload of 304 projects valued at $2.2 billion, dramatically advancing the quality and effectiveness of Marine Corps facilities in North Carolina,” said Captain Mark Libonate as the award was presented to Delao.

Delao said his time at MCB Camp Lejeune was a great experience. He enjoyed the camaraderie of the close-knit community. He also appreciated the trust placed in him by the Marine Corps.

“They trust you and empower you,” said Delao. “They mean what they say, and they say what they mean. There’s no ambiguity.”

Serving under Col. Daniel Lecce, the former commanding officer of the base, and the support he received from Lecce left an impact on Delao.

“(Lecce) truly, genuinely cared,” said Delao. “He was very engaged, and he was a tremendous advocate for us.”

Delao wanted to share thanks to members of the base and the community for their patience and understanding through the numerous construction projects.

“It was a priority to me to minimize inconveniences,” said Delao. “I know Commander Cloyd is going to do the same thing, he will be very sensitive to the impact of the construction efforts.”

This is Cloyd’s third time following Delao’s footsteps.

“The shoes keep getting bigger,” Cloyd joked.

He is looking forward to working with Marines, and getting to know the base and the community.

“It’s an honor to have this amount of trust placed in me,” said Cloyd. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know them.”

Cloyd said he understands the construction will impact the community. He said would work hard to minimize it and keep the lines of communication open to get the word out about any changes.

Cloyd was welcomed to the community by the many guests of the event and is looking forward to tackling future challenges.