Lunney, who will retire after nearly two and a half decades of distinguished naval service, assumed command of NSSF, an organization of more than 900 active duty military, contractors and Department of Defense civilians, in July 2006. Under his guidance, NSSF earned the Golden Anchor Award for retention and 3rd Place for the 2008 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Shore Safety Award for significant contributions to Navy safety and occupational health.
"During the last three years, Cmdr. Lunney has skillfully guided the hard working and complex organization that is Naval Submarine Support Facility in its quest to improve the material condition and ensure the submarines homeported in Groton deployed on schedule to met the nation's operational commitments," said Capt. Douglas Arnold, Commanding Officer of the Regional Support Group and guest speaker for the ceremony.
From the podium during the ceremony, Lunney praised those who worked under his command.
"I tasked you with working as a team while striving for first time quality and continuous process improvement. You exceeded every expectation. You truly are the finest submarine repair facility," said Lunney.
Lunney, a native of Beaver, Penn., graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and was commissioned in September 1986 after completing Naval Officer Candidate School.
Lunney was relieved by Green, who pledged to serve the submarines along the waterfront and Sailors and civilians of NSSF.
Prior to taking command of NSSF, Green served as Officer-in-Charge of Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Missouri. Raised in Ashland, Ore., he enlisted in the Navy in 1978 as a submarine Nuclear Electronics Technician. During his Navy career, Green advanced to Chief Petty Officer, earned an associate degree from Columbia College and was selected to the Enlisted Commissioning Program where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Washington. Green received his commission in 1990.
"I've spent nearly three decades driving submarines to ruin," Green joked. "Now is the time to fix them, supply them, load them and send them back out to do God's work in the seas defending our great nation."