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PAX celebrates 70 years Page 8 VOLUME 70, NUMBER 13
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MARYLAND
April 4, 2013
Pax changes Commanders
Mills says, ‘I’m glad to have been a part of it’ By Connie Hempel NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs
Capt. H.E. “Ted” Mills’ Navy career started nearly 26 years ago when he walked across the stage at the U.S. Naval Academy; a brand new ensign bound for Pensacola, Fla., to become a naval flight officer. Today, Mills’ naval career comes full circle as he steps on stage again, this time as a Navy captain and commanding officer, ready to take on life’s next journey as he retires. Mills is handing the reins to Capt. Ben Shevchuk who has been the naval air station’s executive officer since November 2011. The new executive officer is Capt. Heidi Fleming
Pax pride Reflecting on his career culminating as NAS Patuxent River commanding officer, Mills said he has seen plenty. But of all of the places his career has taken him, he considers Pax River among the most complex enterprises in the Navy. “Its complexity supersedes any other naval base I’ve been to by far,” he said. “It’s a busy place and when I took command, I knew it was only going to get busier. I’m
Ceremony details When: 2 p.m. today Where: Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, Hangar 201 Today’s change-ofcommand ceremony also celebrates Capt. Ted Mills’ retirement
Courtesy photo
Capt. Ted Mills, a native of Livonia, Mich., took command of NAS Patuxent River in November 2011. His previous assignments include: the Fighting Redtails of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 21 in Atsuki, Japan; Fleet Replacement Squadron instructor with Sea Control Squadron (VS) 41 at NAS North Island, Calif.; the Screwbirds of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 33 in North Island; Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii; Scouts of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 24 at NAS Jacksonville, Fla.; and Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, Assessment Division. glad to have been a part of it.” Pax bolsters research and development, standard naval aviation that’s done at every naval air station, it conducts operational missions and has a maritime surface component. “Nothing compares to this place and it’s because of the work you do,” he said. “It’s hard to get people to understand that.” Add to the mix, a tremendous number of DOD civilians, active-duty military
Courtesy photo by Reid Silverman/The Enterprise
Capt. Ted Mills is ceremonially piped onboard during the change-of-command ceremony when he became the naval air station’s Commanding Officer in November 2011.
Courtesy photo
Upon graduating flight school in Pensacola, Fla., then Lt. j.g. Ted Mills is pinned with naval aviator wings by his grandmother in 1988.
and contracting personnel “all working on a production level that is very different from what the fleet has to do,” he said. While Pax did present Mills with challenges, he said overall, this assignment was exciting. “Anyone who comes here
is earning a piece of the future,” he said. “They’re taking part in developing capabilities for the Navy, and other services, that are going to be here for decades. You do a tour at Pax River, you’ll
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NAVAIR test engineers earn honors from Navy Winners of the 2012 Department of the Navy’s Test and Evaluation Awards from the Naval Air Systems Command include, from left, Aaron Schoolcraft, Cardy Hughes, George Koebke, Kevin Bauer, Laurie Mora, Mike Wallace, Jared Wood, Lt. Cmdr. Larry Smith, Lt. Chris Weaver, Gary Kessler, Amy Markowich, Richard Garman, Mary Lacey, Bill Smith, and Alicia Conrad. Team members not in photo include Bill Osborne, Matthew Everson, Tim Andryszak, Don Dirkin, Dash Clendenny, Lt. Cmdr. Valerie Van Zummeren, Tom Nelson, Chris Eisele, Marcelo Rosas-Anderson and Curt Schatz. The team earned an honorable mention in the Test and Evaluation Working Integrated Product Team award category.
U.S. Navy photo