KEYPORT, WA – Tucked away on a peninsula in the Pacific Northwest, sailors and engineers are working to extend the U.S. Navy’s reach and push the capabilities of unmanned vehicles.
Cmdr. Matt Lawrence, a native of Hopatcong Borough is one of the sailors assigned to Commander, Unmanned Undersea Group (COMUUVGRU) 1, the Navy’s first unmanned undersea command.
Lawrence graduated from Tolland High School in 1994. Additionally, Lawrence earned a bachelor’s degree in cyber security from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2019.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Hopatcong.
“People are our secret weapon and well-motivated, respectful people can do anything,” said Lawrence. “It’s the human factor that I care about. People are one of our limited resources. We have who we have and we have to be able to work with them and manage their time. We have a diverse workforce and we need to be able to manage tasks without breaking the workforce.”
Lawrence joined the Navy nearly 30 years ago. Today, Lawrence serves as the deputy commander of COMUUVGRU 1.
“I joined the Navy because I was excited by the technology and was offered the opportunity to work in submarines,” said Lawrence. “The Air Force doesn’t have submarines.”
Established in 2017, COMUUVGRU 1 operates rapidly deployable unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) to further the Navy’s underwater capabilities and learn more about the sea from information provided by the vehicles’ sensors, according to Navy officials. These unmanned vehicles can go into environments that a human crew may not be able to safely or easily reach.
Based in Keyport, Washington, Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Group (UUVGRU) 1 operates various types of autonomous vehicles, from the small Iver series vehicles to the extra large 85-foot-long diesel-electric Orca vehicle. The sailors assigned to UUVGRU-1 are able to quickly modify and adapt the UUVs to fit the tasks set for them, personifying the command’s motto to “extend the reach” of the Navy’s manned vehicles, Navy officials said.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Lawrence serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Lawrence has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m most proud of watching young sailors grow into being good chief petty officers and some assess into naval officers,” said Lawrence. “It is very rewarding that it’s fundamentally the purpose of why I’m here.”
Lawrence can take pride in serving America through military service.
“To me, serving in the Navy means rapidly integrating new technology to warfighters to accomplish national objectives,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I wouldn’t be here without my parents, Peg and Walter, my wife, Amanda, and our three children,” Lawrence said. “I’m grateful for their support and encouragement. This is a long ride to be on. They’ve done the cross-country moves and my parents have come to see me wherever I am. We’ve made it work.”
