WASHINGTON -- Rear Adm. (Sel.) Jason Lloyd replaced Rear Adm. Lorin Selby as Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) Chief Engineer (CHENG) during a change of office ceremony May 8. NAVSEA is open for business, but the ceremony took place with limited attendance because of COVID-19 safety considerations.
Selby will next lead the Office of Naval Research while Lloyd takes the helm of the 608-strong Deputy Commander for Ship Design, Integration and Engineering that’s responsible for providing the engineering and scientific expertise, knowledge, and technical authority necessary to design, build, maintain, repair, modernize, certify, and dispose of the Navy's ships, submarines, and associated warfare systems.
NAVSEA’s commander, Vice Adm. Thomas Moore, served as the event’s presiding officer, and spoke glowingly of Selby’s accomplishments as CHENG. Moore presented Selby with the Distinguished Service Medal for his superior performance.
“You came into this job at 3600 RPM, and your energy never slowed” Moore said. “In fact, you were probably already doing so long before.”
What makes Selby’s tenure at NAVSEA unique, Moore added, was that he came as the first submarine acquisition corps officer in a billet always held by an engineering duty officer. Yet, through his curiosity and drive, Selby led NAVSEA’s engineering program with expertise and passion, as he championed the role of Independent Technical Authority in providing safe, reliable, and capable ships and combat systems for Sailors to accomplish their missions.
Although Selby’s accomplishments were many, he also earned the respect and admiration of those who work for him through his personal connection with the workforce. Selby’s final conference call as CHENG took place as usual May 8, with each SEA 05 director providing him updates on the various conditions of ships, equipment and projects. Yet, each director also lingered to thank him for his leadership.
In his final email All Hands email to SEA 05 after the ceremony, Selby touched on the importance of Independent Technical Authority to remind the women and men who served under him for nearly four years that their work has real-world consequences.
“As you read this, the United States Navy is deployed all over the world. The successes and failures of the Sailors and Marines on those ships are a direct reflection of the work you put in each day. Whether in troubled waters or calm seas, our warfighters will depend on everything we give them to meet the challenges of 21st century warfare,” he wrote.
Lloyd becomes CHENG after serving as a commanding officer at Supervisor of Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. He joined the Navy as an electrician’s mate in in 1986 prior to receiving his commission from Florida State University in 1992 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program.