U.S. Navy officials have named Rear Adm. (lower half) John W. Korka to be the next leader of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the Navy’s chief of civil engineers. NAVFAC is responsible for planning, designing and building the Navy’s shore facilities worldwide. (View bio here.)

Korka—whose new assignment was announced by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer and Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, on May 8—has been commander of NAVFAC Pacific and director, fleet civil engineer for the Pacific Fleet, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, since October 2015.

Korka, the son of a master chief petty officer, will succeed Rear Adm. Bret J. Muilenburg, who has led NAVFAC and been chief of civil engineers since November 2015.

Muilenberg is retiring but his post-retirement plans have not yet been announced, said Whitney DeLoach, a NAVFAC spokesperson. DeLoach added that a change-of-command ceremony is tentatively set for sometime in October.

NAVFAC's workforce totals approximately 21,600, including about 1,600 military personnel and 17,000 in the civil service.

The organization is responsible for about $15 billion in planning, design, construction and maintenance work.

Korka also will become commander for facilities and environment at the Navy Installations Command and the Marine Corps Installations Command’s deputy commander for facilities and environment.

Korka has been selected for promotion to rear admiral, subject to U.S. Senate approval.