Captain John Korka

Today’s Mover and Shaker in the spot light is Captain John Korka. Korka has the unique role of being the Naval Facilities Engineering Command’s (NAVFAC), Washington’s Commanding Officer, Officer in Charge of Construction, Bethesda, where he is responsible for the execution of the BRAC construction⁄renovation work associated with the integration of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center, as well as the pubic works, construction, facilities and acquisition services to the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Forces and various DoD and other Federal Agencies throughout Navy Capital Region, North Potomac.

He holds a Master of Science in Resource Strategy from the National Defense University and a Master of Science, Civil Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. His professional qualifications include: Seabee Combat Warfare, Surface Warfare Officer, Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is a Senior Acquisition Professional.

Korka, commissioned in the U.S. Navy in May 1986, has more than twenty years of service, holding a variety of interesting positions while serving across the globe. To state a few of his previous accomplishments: As the Operations Officer of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE in Gulfport, Mississippi, he was deployed to Bosnia-Herzigovina in support of Operation Joint Guard, and led military engineers for the U.S. Army and several NATO Allied Forces in executing numerous combat engineering missions which earned him the 1997 Society of American Military Engineer’s Moreell Medal, recognizing military engineering excellence. In 2004, as the Commanding Officer, of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR, he was deployed to Camp Fallujah, Iraq and his unit provided the combat engineering support to American and Allied forces throughout the Sunni Triangle during Operation AL FAJR, the Siege of Fallujah. Before reporting onboard at NNMC in April 2008, he was stationed in Naples, Italy, where he served as the Executive Officer of NAVFAC EURSWA and Deputy Regional Engineer for Navy Regions Europe and Southwest Asia. While overseas, he played a major role in shaping the Navy’s largest Theater Security Cooperation (TSP) program by developing and integrating engineering⁄construction acquisition strategies, forward deployed engineering forces, and humanitarian support contracts in direct support of Commander, Naval Forces Europe and Commander, Navy Central Command GWOT Phase Zero operations. During his watch, over 80 construction projects in 15 African countries were executed and greatly contributed in strengthening the Navy’s Maritime Strategy and the African Partnership Station program.

In his position, as the CO of the OICC, Korka has worked directly with Clark⁄Balfour Beatty, Office of the Secretary of Defense, NNMC⁄Navy Medicine NCA, Walter Reed, the Joint Task Force (JTF), and NAVFAC’s Medical Facility Design Office, to ensure the new construction of the future WRNMMC receives delivery of a top notch, state of the art, world class facility. With limited time granted by Congress for the Base Realignment and Closure program and only a year since President Bush broke ground at building one, this enormous project is still moving ahead of schedule. As you look out over the campus, you can see the distinct structures of building A, the outpatient clinic, which will house radiation, oncology, the amputee center, pediatrics, and the cancer center of excellence and Building B, which will house the emergency department and cardiology.

As the CO of the OICC Bethesda, Captain Korka is also responsible for providing public works, construction, facilities and engineering support across Naval District Washington’s North Potomac Area of Responsibility. This includes the renovation of the Barracks, the upkeep of the Vice President’s residence, Naval Surface Warfare Center – Carderock division, Facilities maintenance and sustainment of all base operational and support functions. Some of the commands he supports include: Naval Sea Systems, Uniformed Services University, National Security Agency, North Potomac. No stranger to hard work, he is additionally responsible for the numerous administrative and medical swing spaces and a number of renovation projects that are taking place throughout the hospital and on the Bethesda campus.

The aforementioned accomplishments of Korka only begin to scratch the surface of his capabilities and dedication to the mission. Since reporting to Bethesda, he has led his team through many successful evolutions and significant achievements. Korka doesn’t take full credit for all these accomplishments, but instead insists it’s a ‘‘team effort and supporting our Supported Commanders.”