Seabee Base to Mark Change of Command

The Naval Construction Battalion Center at Port Hueneme will change commanding officers this week, as Capt. James L. Delker leaves for Pearl Harbor after two years at the helm of the Seabee base.

Capt. Daniel L. Hambrock will officially relieve Delker of duty at a formal change of command ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. Friday.

“I would say there will be several hundred people there,” said base spokeswoman Linda J. Wadley. “We will have quite a few persons from off base and, of course, a lot of people from on base.”

Hambrock comes to Port Hueneme from Seabee headquarters in Alexandria, Va., where he was director of manpower, management and Seabee support and the Navy’s assistant chief of civil engineers.

The Seabees are the Navy construction crews trained to fight as well as build runways, docks, tents and other structures while under enemy fire.

A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Hambrock earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University and a master’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology. Since he was commissioned as an officer, he has served in a number of positions all over the continental U.S. and Alaska.

In 1990, he took command of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One, one of the Navy’s construction teams. During his tour of duty, he received the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Best of Type Award and two Gold Anchor retention awards.