WASHINGTON – Capt. Christopher Archer has built more than infrastructure across four continents – he’s built winning teams. Now, this decorated Seabee captain brings his proven formula for mission success to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington as the new executive officer, where his global expertise will shape the future of naval shore infrastructure.
Archer brings exceptional leadership credentials forged through commanding award-winning Seabee battalions and managing critical infrastructure projects worldwide. His global perspective spans expeditionary tours from Kuwait, Korea and Bahrain as well as throughout Indo-Pacific Command, Europe and Africa, over the course of three Naval Mobile Battalion Construction tours, a tour as the deputy Fifth Fleet engineer and service as chief staff officer for Task Force 68. This international experience directly aligns with NAVFAC Washington’s mission supporting naval operations worldwide through forward-deployed teams across every geographic combatant command.
Archer arrives from his successful command of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, where his leadership earned the prestigious Battle “E,” Retention Excellence Award with Best-in-Class Distinction and Peltier Award.
“I was blessed to serve with creative, enthusiastic and dedicated officers, chiefs and Sailors who fully owned our mission and worked together as a team,” Archer reflects on his command philosophy that transformed individual talents into mission-focused winning teams. “Any success we had is due to the strength of those with whom I served.”
“In a battalion, forward teams are often detachment sites operating away from the flagpole. Here at NAVFAC Washington, our installation field offices are the forward teams enabled by headquarters,” Archer notes, drawing parallels between tactical coordination and strategic infrastructure support built on trust and shared mission focus.
His unique qualifications merge technical excellence with strategic vision. Armed with a degree in civil engineering, professional engineer registration and Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree, Archer brings rare depth to NAVFAC Washington’s complex infrastructure challenges.
“My specific technical background helps me see the holistic picture of where we are, where we need to go and the process to get there,” he explains, emphasizing his drive for continuous process improvement.
His comprehensive NAVFAC enterprise experience across Pacific, Atlantic and Washington commands provides invaluable insights for integrating regional capabilities and standardizing best practices. From hands-on project management as assistant ROICC at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville and as Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division director at NAS Oceana, Archer’s career spans every echelon of naval facilities engineering.
A devoted family man who enjoys travel, music, running and college football, he draws inspiration from Ben Harper’s words: “Make the book that is your life worth reading,” and Gen. Colin Powell’s principle that “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” Archer is originally from Derby, Kan., but recently relocated to the National Capital Region with his family.