Indian Head, Md. –
Capt. Paul Mahoney assumed command of Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD), relieving Capt. Steve Duba of duties as commanding officer during a change of command ceremony, July 10.
“In the past three years, Capt. Steve Duba has stoked the fires of this great foundry,” said NSWC and Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Commander Rear Adm. Peter Small, the ceremony’s keynote speaker. “When Steve took command, he took on a monumental task of steering this arsenal into the future. He arrived during a critical strategic push by our government to modernize our nation’s munitions industrial base, personally executing the first phase of the Navy’s 15-year, $2.7 billion Energetics Comprehensive Modernization Plan. Under his leadership, this command executed over $500 million worth of projects, laying the groundwork for the next generation of American sea power.”
During the ceremony, Duba was awarded the Department of War’s (DoW) Defense Superior Service Medal for his meritorious service and contributions to the United States while serving as NSWC IHD’s commanding officer. The ceremony marked the culmination of Duba’s 25-year career with his retirement from the Navy.
“This arsenal is so special,” Duba said. “For 136 years since the Spanish American War, we’ve been producing high-end technology, weaponry and material for our joint warfighters. Thank you for allowing me to finish my career on such a high note. It has been the honor of a lifetime.”
As the NSWC IHD commanding officer, Mahoney will oversee one of the DoW’s public arsenals and among the largest full-spectrum energetics facilities, including nearly 2,200 civilian employees across Maryland, two detachments and six off-site locations in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Illinois and Utah.
“Every round fired, every missile launched, every device rendered safe, every warfighter who has come home because a system worked the way it was designed can be traced back to work done on this base with this workforce,” Mahoney said. “To be entrusted with the command of this warfare center is one of the greatest honors of my career and I do not take it lightly.”
Mahoney began his naval career in 2004 after earning a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and commissioning through the College of the Holy Cross Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program. He was commanding officer of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit TWO (EODTEU-2) and deputy director of Crisis Response and Detention Operations in the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. Mahoney is a designated EOD warfare officer, surface warfare officer, diving officer, naval parachutist and is authorized to wear the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of War identification badges.
“This mission is in capable hands with Capt. Mahoney,” said Duba. “There is nothing this arsenal cannot accomplish in the world of energetic systems technology. Today more than ever, Indian Head Division is vital to national security and I know you will continue to deliver.”
NSWC IHD — a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy’s Science and Engineering Establishment — is the leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support, manufacturing and disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.