July 24, 2017
CRANE, Ind. -- The first time U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Oesterreich heard of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), he was serving aboard USS ARCHERFISH (SSN 678) in the 1990s. Oesterreich was the Weapons Division Officer on the submarine at the time, and the ship was having issues with its small arms.
Thousands of miles away from Indiana’s Navy base – in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea –NSWC Crane was on the minds of USS ARCHERFISH crew members.
“My sailors told me, ‘We’ve got to send this to Crane,’” Oesterreich recalls now. “It may seem small 20 years later, but it was the first realization that Crane not only exists, but makes a significant impact throughout the Fleet.”
After more than 20 years of service at various U.S. Naval Commands, Oesterreich is now the Commanding Officer at NSWC Crane. He had been serving as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Ship Maintenance and Material at Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet in Coronado, California since 2015.
“I always knew Crane had a great reputation. It’s a place people want to be part of,” Oesterreich said. “Everybody I’ve met so far is very proud of what they do. That’s very apparent, and I have barely scratched the surface. You take that, Crane’s reputation, and the direction we’re headed to support the Navy of the future – those are all great opportunities for the Command. Our adversaries are catching up and trying to pass us, so it’s going to be critical that we stay in front of them.”
Oesterreich received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture. He completed the nuclear training pipeline then served aboard USS ARCHERFISH, earning his qualification in Submarines. Oesterreich then earned a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Professional Engineer’s License at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Following his graduate studies, Oesterreich completed the Submarine Officer Advanced Course and served as the Engineering Officer aboard USS OHIO (SSBN-726G) until his transfer to the Engineering Duty Officer Community in January 2003.
Oesterreich’s nearly 10 years of experience onboard submarines has given him a unique perspective – something he hopes to bring to the workforce at NSWC Crane.
“You’re in the middle of the ocean, by yourself, underwater,” Oesterreich said. “If something breaks, you’ve got to fix it. If there’s a critical attribute to a particular maintenance item or a particular operation, you have to make sure the right people are there to verify that critical attribute is met. When you’re on a submarine, everything gets condensed into a much smaller space. Maintenance becomes a bigger issue in a smaller space, and it has to be designed to be maintained. Those types of considerations give you a great deal of respect for what all goes into it.”
Oesterreich’s experience aboard Naval ships and submarines has shaped the way he thinks, acts and leads today. He believes in putting people in the best position to succeed, and then giving them the freedom to do their jobs from there.
“Everybody wants to come to work and do a good job. I believe that,” Oesterreich said. “If you give them the tools, the opportunity and the training, they’ll do great things. You don’t have to micromanage people. You don’t have to stand over them to make sure they get it done. You don’t have time to be everywhere and watch everything, so you have to trust your people.”
Following his time aboard USS OHIO, Oesterreich served at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility as the Deputy Project Superintendent for the Refueling Overhaul and Conversion of USS MICHIGAN (SSGN-727). After more than three years there, Oesterreich reported to the Director, Fleet Readiness Division (N43), on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) as a Ship and Submarine Readiness Action Officer. He was responsible for Carrier Maintenance Requirements and Fleet Maintenance Requirement Integration in that role.
Oesterreich assumed responsibility as Chief Engineering Officer aboard USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN-76) in December 2007, where he completed two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In June 2010, he reported to the staff of Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific as the Carrier Force Maintenance Officer.
Following his selection for captain, Oesterreich served as the Business and Strategic Planning Officer and Production Resources Officer at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.
In July 2014, Oesterreich transitioned to a new role as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Ship Maintenance and Material at Commander Naval Air Forces Atlantic. One year later, he was transferred to the same position at Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific Fleet, where he served until accepting his new role as the Commanding Officer at NSWC Crane.
The Navy lifestyle has taken Oesterreich all over the world. As he reflects on his experiences now, Oesterreich realizes he learned important lessons from each of the many stops that led him to NSWC Crane.
“Everything was a series of lessons,” Oesterreich said. “You don’t realize it at the time, but when you’re able to sit down and look back at the good and the bad that happened – I would say it’s how you respond to the bad things that molds your outlook. When I was at the Naval Academy – and up through 15 years ago – I never pictured myself being the CO at Crane. Life happens, and opportunities come. You have to be able to see an opportunity for what it is, and take advantage of the opportunities that come up.”
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s warfighter.