Navy Week Guest Sailors

This web site is created through a partnership between The Navy Office of Community Outreach and The Navy League of the United States.

The 2010 San Antonio Navy Week, will have Rear Adm. Albert Garcia III Civil Engineer Corps Deputy Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Deputy Chief of Civil Engineers, and Rear Adm. Robin L. Graf, Deputy Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, will serve as our leading spokespeople. Also participating are Sailors with significant ties to the local area."

Rear Admiral Albert Garcia, III
Civil Engineer Corps Deputy Commander,
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Deputy Chief of Civil Engineers

Rear Admiral Albert Garcia was commissioned as an ensign, Civil Engineer Corps, U.S. Navy, from the Naval ROTC program at the University of Missouri-Columbia on May 14, 1977. After completing the Civil Engineer Corps Officer School, Basic, he reported to Naval Station Rota, Spain, as the activity civil engineer in the Public Works Department. While at Rota he was later reassigned as the shops engineer and military division officer.

In February 1980 Garcia was transferred to western divisions of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command as the assistant resident officer in charge of construction for the San Francisco Bay Area. Upon affiliating in the Reserves in 1986 he was assigned as the detachment officer in charge of the San Antonio Detachment of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 22. In October 1987 he served as the Delta Company commander and in October 1988 he became the operations officer.

In October 1990 he reported to the Mediterranean Area of the Directorate of Wartime Construction Management. From this position he was recalled to active duty for Operation Desert Storm where he was assigned as the naval liaison officer for engineering to U.S. Central Command. Upon transfer to the reserves in 1991 he was assigned to the Naval Reserve Contingency Engineering Program. Garcia was selected as the operations officer of the 9th Naval Construction Regiment in 1993. In August of 1995 he was selected as the commanding officer of NMCB 22. He was later assigned as the training and readiness officer of the 3rd Naval Construction Brigade.

Garcia was then assigned as commanding officer of Officer in Charge of Construction, Atlantic. In September 2000 he was selected as the commodore for the 9th Naval Construction Regiment and in 2002 was assigned as the assistant chief of staff for Reserve Affairs in the 1st Naval Construction Division. In 2003 Garcia was recalled in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he commanded Task Force Charlie of the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Engineering Group and later was assigned as the deputy commander of the MEF Engineering Group in Iraq. In 2004 he assumed responsibility for consolidating several reserve augment units into a new command, Naval Engineering Facilities Command Contingency officer in charge of Construction. In 2005 he assumed the duties of deputy commander of the 1st Naval Construction Division. In 2008 he was assigned as deputy commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command.

Garcia’s professional background includes a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Ph. D. in Environmental Engineering. He was a tenured associate professor at Texas A&M responsible for both teaching and research programs in advanced bioreactor design. He has actively consulted in the United States, Europe, and Central America. In 1992 he started MRV Engineers and Constructors, a Design/Build Corporation specializing in industrial wastewater treatment projects throughout the United States. He currently serves as a program manager for AMEC Earth and Environmental Services, a leading engineering consulting firm. Garcia is registered as a Professional Engineer in 18 states and is Seabee Combat Warfare qualified.

Rear Admiral
Albert Garcia, III

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Rear Admiral Robin L. Graf
Deputy Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

Rear Admiral Robin L. Graf is a native of Simsbury, Conn. She attended Cornell University, graduating in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She was commissioned in 1981 upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. Graf earned a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Illinois Benedictine University in 1988. She was awarded a diploma from the College of Command and Staff from the Naval War College in 2001 and completed the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education curriculum at the Joint Forces Staff College in 2006.

Graf’s initial assignment was as communications watch officer at Naval Communications Area Master Station, Naples, Italy and officer in charge of the Satellite Communications Facility at Lago DiPatria, Italy. Following this overseas tour, she was assigned to Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. where she served as a company officer and taught Navigation and Personnel Administration. Graf transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1986.

Graf’s Navy Reserve assignments have included tours with Naval Weapons Support Center, Crane, Ind., Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity Long Beach, Calif., Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity Newport, R.I. and U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va. She has held commanding officer positions with Navy Reserve Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Detachment 101, Navy Reserve SIMA Newport Detachment 201, Navy Reserve Ashore Mobile Contingency Communications 4 Driver 401, Readiness Unit 802 Bronx, N.Y., Navy Reserve AO-186 Platte, Navy Reserve Personnel Mobilization Team 906, Navy Reserve Navy Activities United Kingdom Detachment 408, Navy Reserve Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Detachment 106, Norfolk, Va., and Navy Reserve Supreme Allied Command Transformation Detachment 205, Buffalo, N.Y.

Graf was mobilized to active duty and deployed to Ramadi, Iraq with Task Force Ramadi from February to November 2008. She was subsequently assigned to the J9 Directorate at U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va. In October 2009, Graf reported as deputy commander, Navy Recruiting Command.

Graf is designated a Fleet Marine Force officer. Her personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards), and several other unit and personal decorations.

Rear Admiral
Robin L. Graf

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THE ELECTRIC BRIGADE
The United States Naval Academy Band

The Electric Brigade (EB), the Navy's premier Contemporary Entertainment Ensemble, maintains a reputation for thrilling audiences everywhere. Under the direction of Chief Musician Frank Dominguez, Electric Brigade presents a versatile and dynamic program bringing the best in Navy music to each audience. The members of the group are Chief Musician Frank Dominguez, vocals and sax; Musician First Class Ira Ostrowski, lead vocals and bass; Musician First Class Rory Cherry, bass, guitar, and vocals; Musician First Class John Duley, drums and vocals; Musician First Class Steve Tomlinson, trombone, keyboards, and vocals; Musician First Class John Tuck, keyboards, trumpet, and vocals; Musician First Class Ben Coker, guitar;and Musician First Class Ritchie Smith , sound engineer.

Acting as the United States Naval Academy's musical ambassadors to the nation, Electric Brigade supports the Brigade of Midshipmen and is also a major public relations tool for the Navy, supporting Navy Recruiting by acquainting young Americans with the Armed Forces.

At the Naval Academy, EB is called upon to entertain the Brigade of Midshipmen for a variety of functions ranging from formal occasions such as the Graduation Ball during Commissioning Week, to informal dances, pep rallies, and company picnics. During the last two years, the group traveled to the Houston Bowl and Emerald Bowl tailgate parties to support the Midshipmen and Navy football.

With a well rounded repertoire combining selected features of the most current and popular music and high-energy performance, Electric Brigade excels at reaching young adults in both high school and collegiate settings. The ensemble is also well suited to public performances at state and county fairs, art festivals, and community concert series. Originally founded as "Tidal Wave" in 1972, Electric Brigade has thrilled audiences from Iceland to Indiana, Maine to Minnesota, and as far south as Key West and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. EB's repertoire includes hits spanning the last 50 years, making it an ideal group for all types of military balls, receptions, and other social gatherings as well.

Since its inception in 1979, this ensemble remains on the cutting edge of today's popular music scene by choosing a variety of selections each year from current Top 40 charts. Electric Brigade's ability to play pop, rhythm and blues, dance, motown, classic rock, modern rock, soul, hip-hop, swing, country, and disco allows them the flexibility to please all audiences and age groups.

Electric Brigade is undoubtedly one of the most in demand military musical units in existence. Excitement and thrilling performances are synonymous with the name Electric Brigade, the Naval Academy's exhilarating response to America's desire for high-energy entertainment!

Electric Brigade is available to come to your school or community for concerts. For more information, click here

THE ELECTRIC BRIGADE

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Last Modified: March 25, 2010