Volume 69, Number 4
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland
January 26, 2012
Panetta: U.S. military best in world, but threats remain By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. American Forces Press Service The U.S. military is the world's best and it's on the right path to face the challenges ahead, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here Jan. 20. Speaking to a crowd of service members, civilians and local leaders at a town hall meeting, Panetta said the military "has to be able to make that turn as we head into the future." "We're at a point, as you know, where the Iraq mission was brought to an end, and it's now clearly up to the Iraqi people, to the Iraqi leaders to make sure they stay on the right track," he said. "That was the whole point of the mission, was to make Iraq be able to govern and secure itself." The defense secretary also cited U.S., coalition and Afghan progress made in Afghanistan and NATO's success in helping to topple a dictator in Libya. "In Afghanistan, we are making good progress there in transitioning to Afghan control and security, and we remain committed to making sure that happens," Panetta said. "In Libya, we had a successful NATO mission that helped bring down Gadhafi and return Libya to the Libyan people." Panetta noted the U.S. military has "significantly impacted" al-Qaida operations.
See Panetta, Page 2
DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Marine Corps Lt. Col. Fred "Tinman" Schenk, right, explains the Joint Strike Fighter manned flight simulator to Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta during the secretary's visit to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Jan. 20.
Panetta lifts F-35 fighter variant probation during visit to Pax River By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. American Forces Press Service Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced during a visit to Pax River on Jan. 20, he's lifted probation from the ShortTakeoff,Vertical Landing variant of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter which is absolutely vital to maintaining air superiority. Speaking during a town hall-style meeting here, the defense secretary discussed the latest development in the progress of the Joint Strike Fighter program as service members, politicians and the civilian workforce listened. "Early in 2011 DoD was compelled to put [the ShortTakeoff andVertical Landing] . on probation," he said. "Over the course of last year, you here at Pax River helped make an incredible difference by completing tremendous amounts of STOVL testing," Panetta noted. "You demonstrated that we've made real progress towards fixing some of the known problems that we had with STOVL." Panetta lauded the joint strike fighter's workforce at NAS Patuxent River for
News Briefs USNA Alumni Dinner
The Greater Southern Maryland Chapter of the US Naval Academy Alumni Association invite all members, alums, and friends of USNA to their annual “Dark Ages Dinner.” Break out during the winter for sea stories, fairy tales, great food, good drink, casual socializing with the best of friends and no speechifying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Solomons on Feb. 3 with grog at 6:30, chow at 7:30. Make your reservation with dinner entrée choices for $49 per person with a cash bar on the website www.navyalumni.org/ or email RICHARD.L.SNYDER@saic.com or call 240—298-2279. Go Navy, Beat Army!
Comedy Show
DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and U.S. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland look at the cockpit of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with Navy Capt. Erik "Rock" Etz on Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Jan. 20. Panetta and Hoyer toured several facilities related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is in its test phases at the base. their efforts to bring the STOVL variant up to the standards of the two other existing versions of the F-35, the Conventional Takeoff and Landing and Carrier Variant.
"We now believe that because of your work, that the STOVL variant is demonstrating the kind of performance and
See Fighter, Page 3
Come to Bay District Volunteer Fire Department, 46900 S. Shangri-La Drive in Lexington Park, on Feb. 18, for the annual comedy show benefiting U.S. Military Bethesda Fisher House and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. Doors open at 7 p.m.; show begins at 8 p.m. Complimentary appetizers and desserts; beverages, beer and wine available. Admission is $25 in advance on www.prosc.ticketleap.com/comedynight , $10 for E-6 & below with I.D and current IA Spouses through Feb. 17; $30 for all at the door.This is an adults-only show for ages 18 and older. Tickets available at MWR ITT, or reserved forWILL CALL: make checks payable to PROSC & mail to PROSC, PO Box 196, Patuxent River, MD 20670. For information visit www.paxosc.org, paxspouses@hotmail.com or call 301-997-0052.
See New Briefs, Page 4