By ShawnGrahamNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

In honor of Asian Americanand Pacific Islander Heri-

tage Month, Tester is featuringLt. Cmdr. Arthur Castro, fromNAVAIR, and his journey toreaching his American Dreamthrough the U.S.Navy.The American Dream

doesn’t always start theUnitesStates.For Lt. Cmdr. Arthur Cas-

tro, assigned toNAVAIRMulti-MissionTactical UAS ProgramOffice (PMA-266) ReadinessCell Team Lead, the dream

started in the Philippines andwas realized during his ser-vice in theU.S. Navy.

Journey from the PhilippinesBorn and raised on the

island of Luzon in the Phil-ippines, Castro relocated toGuamwhenhewasa teenager.“When I relocated to

Guam, prior to joining theNavy, two of my uncles wereSailors, both of whom joinedin the Philippines,” Castrosaid. “One of my uncles wasa senior chief petty officer andwhen I saw him in his uni-

form, I knew I wanted to be

just like him one day.”

Castro joined the Navy

Sept. 16, 1998, attendingNavyRecruit Training Commandand later Aviation Machinist’sMate (AD) “A” School, wherehe was certified as helicoptermechanic.Castro said his father ex-

plained to him that the tran-sition wouldn’t be easy andwould take lots of motivationand dedication in order tosucceed.“I wanted to explore the

world and succeed,” he said.“So when I joined the Navy, Iwas shaky at first but by the

Clean the Bay -Pax River StylePage 2

Moran Honored asLead TesterPage 3

EMALSHas ArrivedPage 6

Vol. 72, No. 21 Celebrating 72 Years of Community Partnership May 28, 2015

TESTERNaval Air Station Patuxent River

U.S. Navy photo

Lt. Cmdr. Arthur Castro

Castro reflects on American journey

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

Personnel from NASPatuxent River Environ-

mental Division and NavalFacilities Engineering Com-mand Washington, alongwith biologists from the Col-lege of William and Mary,worked together to bandfour young bald eagles fromthree nests located aboardthe installation, May 7.

“Numerous instanceshave been noted of bald ea-gles loafing on runway andtaxiway surfaces here at PaxRiver, thus posing a [bird/animal strike hazard] risk,”explained Jackie Smith, PaxRiver natural resources spe-cialist. “The fledgling eaglebanding was necessary in

order to determine if thesebirds are from Pax nests orelsewhere.”

A tree climber, usingropes and harnesses, scaledthe trees where the birds’nests had been previouslylocated and removed the ea-gle chicks, carefully baggingeach one and lowering it tothe ground to be fitted witha numbered, unique metalidentification band. A sec-ond colored auxiliary band,visible from a distance, wasalso affixed. A falconer’shood was used to cover theeagles’ eyes and keep themcalm.

Biologists then record-ed each chick’s variousmeasurements, including

Eagles on boardPax River chicks banded fortracking and identification

See Eagles, Page 3See Castro, Page 3

U.S. Navy photos by Jackie Smith

Assisting personnel fromNAS Patuxent River’s Environ-mental Division, biologists from the College of William andMary recently affix metal identification bands to the legs ofan eagle nestling.

Asian American and PacificIslander Milestones1815General Andrew Jacksonnotes that Filipinos foughtalongside his forces duringthe famedBattle of NewOr-leans near the endof theWarof 1812.

May 7, 1843First Japanese immigrantsarrived in the United States.

May 10, 1869First transcontinentalrailroad in the UnitedStates was completedwith significant contri-

butions from Chinesepioneers.

Sept. 24, 1911First CongressionalMedal of Honor recipientwas U.S. Army Pvt. JoseNisperos, from the Philip-pine Scouts Unit.

September 1944One of the first ChineseAmericanwoman pilots,Maggie Gee received herflight licenses and joined theWomenAir Force ServicePilots (WASPs).

See Heritage, Page 4

DOD graphic/U.S. Navy photo illustration by Shawn Graham

According to statistics from the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, in 2014, Sailors of Asian and Pacific Islander heri-tage comprise 6.43 percent of the Navy’s active duty force. More than 20,500 active-duty Sailors , 4,000 Reservists, and 18,900Navy civilian employees self-identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander, including 10 flag officers, ninemembers of the Se-nior Executive Service and 176master chief petty officers.

Navy Celebrates Asian American &Navy Celebrates Asian American &Pacific Islander Heritage MonthPacific Islander Heritage Month

Navy Celebrates Asian American &Navy Celebrates Asian American &Pacific Islander Heritage MonthPacific Islander Heritage Month

ByShawnGrahamNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

Sailors and civilians are in-vited to participate in the

Second Annual Clean the BayDay (CTBD), scheduled 8-11a.m. June 6 starting at the Ce-dar Point Beach Pavilion.

Chesapeake Bay Foundationhosts CTBD every year to cleandebris fromurban, suburbanandrural shorelines and waterways.Each year, hundreds of servicemembers answer the call to keepthebeach clean.

Cmdr. Molly Boron, NAVAIRMaritime Patrol and Recon-naissance Aircraft Program Of-fice (PMA-290) deputy IPT leadfor P-3 and EP-3, said CTBDimproves the cleanliness andmilitary appearance of Pax and isimportant for long-termenviron-mental stability.

“The habitat is influencedby human interaction and lack

of care,” she said. “Our actionsimpact our water quality, foodsources and recreational activ-ity.”

According to the ChesapeakeBay Foundation, between 3,500and 4,000 tons ofmunicipal solidwaste is collected per year at PaxRiver.This is thenormalwaste re-

moveddaily fromofficebuildingsandhangars.

“I’m proud NAS PatuxentRiver contributes to such a largeevent,” Boron said. “We musthave proper respect for thelifecycle of our waterways andstreams. We live, work and playoff of our environment. Wemust

understand the importance of itscleanliness.”

Boron who organized Pax’sfirst CTBD last year, said volun-teer participation has been verystrong.

“There are many likemindedpeople, who are environmentalstewards,” Boron explained. “It’salways good to have them par-ticipate.

“I’m looking forward to any-one who wants to participateto clean up our beaches andshoreline,” Boron said. “We willprovide garbage bags and la-tex gloves. All we need peopleto bring are good attitudes andsmiles.”

Volunteers must have baseaccess. Meet at the Cedar PointBeach pavilion. Trash bags pro-vided. Last year, dozens of vol-unteers collected 300 pounds oftrash and 300 pounds of recycla-ble material in four hours alongthreemiles of Pax’s shoreline.

2 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester

U.S. Navy photos by Shawn Graham

NAS Patuxent River honored veterans, with special recognition to Vietnam War veterans andGold Star Families during a Memorial Day Commemoration ceremony May 22 at West Basin Marina.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who died in ser-vice to the U.S.

The Navy’s Ceremonial Guard paraded the colors, played taps and fired a three-gun volley in honorof service members who died on active duty.

Memorial Day ceremony honors veterans, Gold Star Families

U.S. Navy photo by Connie Hempel

Clean the Bay Day volunteers Aviation Structural Mechanic 1stClass Matthew Engstrom from Air Test and Evaluation Squad-ron (VX) 23 and Ann Barnes, a contractor on base, pick up trashand recyclables from Fishing Point on NAS Pax River during thefirst Clean the Bay day on base, June 7, 2014. During that event,more than 300 pounds of trash and 300 pounds of recyclablematerial was collected along three miles of Pax’s shoreline.

Volunteers needed for annual Clean the Bay Day – Pax River style

Warm weather often spurs the inclination toclean up and clean out, but remember, the dump-sters around Naval Air Station Patuxent River arenot for offloading unwanted goods or debris. Whilehouseholds on base are encouraged to use the in-stallation’s recycling containers for their recyclables,the dumpsters are intended for government refuseonly. Anyone observing unauthorized dumpingshould contact base security at 301-342-3208.

Unauthorized dumping

Make arrangements with your child’s day carecenter or babysitter that you will always call if yourchild will not be there on a particular day as sched-uled.

Make sure all child passengers have left the ve-hicle after it is parked. Keep vehicles locked at alltimes; even in the garage or driveway.

Look before you lock

Thursday, May 28, 2015 3Tester

By Sylvia PiersonF-35 Lightning II NavalVariants Public Affairs

TheDepartment of theNavy(DON) honored Marine

Corps Lt. Col. Patrick “Oxy”Moran,F-35Lightning IIPatux-ent River Integrated Test Force(ITF) Government Flight TestDirector, with its 2014 Test &Evaluation (T&E) Lead TesterAward during the third annualDON T&E awards ceremonyheld April 23 at the Pentagon.

Rear Adm.MathiasW.Win-ter, Chief of Naval Research atthe Office of Naval Research,and Director, Test and Evalu-ation and Technology Re-quirements, was joined byRick Quade, Deputy AssistantSecretary of Navy for Research,Development, Test and Evalu-ation, as he presented Moranwith the prestigious award intheHall of Heroes.

“Lt. Col. Moran embodiesthe test and engineering acu-men, galvanizing leadershipand steadfast integrity upon

which our nation depends,”Winter said. “His sound judg-ment and superlative accom-plishments at the helm of theF-35 Patuxent River ITF haveenhanced Naval aviation’s roleand effectiveness as it developsand delivers sea-based powerprojection.

“Oxy delivered the rightbalance of strategic guidanceand technical oversight ashis 920-member governmentand industry team achievedits highest tempo of flight testto date,” he said. “He was thedriving force behind the up-coming Marine Corps initialoperational capability, andhe accelerated the team’sprogress through the F-35Cinitial development test (DT-I) schedule, achieving 100percent of the threshold testpoints three days early, andconducting night ops duringDT-I — an unheard of featsince the F-4 era.”

During the ceremony,Winter and Quade present-

ed three awards to NAVAIRteam members for theiroutstanding efforts and sig-nificant achievements inthe field of T&E during 2014.The DON T&E awards pro-gram features seven awards;

personnel from Naval SeaSystems Command, MarineCorps Systems Commandand Marine Corps Opera-tional Test and EvaluationActivity received the remain-ing four awards.

Moran honored with 2014 Testand Evaluation Lead Tester Award

U.S. Navy photo

Marine Corps Lt. Col. PatrickMoran, F-35 Lightning II PatuxentRiver Integrated Test ForceGovernment Flight Test director,center, was presentedwith the Department of the Navy (DON)Lead Tester Award by Rear Adm.MathiasW.Winter, the Chiefof Naval Research at theOffice of Naval Research, and the Di-rector, Test and Evaluation and Technology Requirements, left,and RickQuade, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Navy for Re-search, Development, Test and Evaluation during the DON Testand Evaluation awards ceremony April 23 at the Pentagon’sHall of Heroes.

1- 3 p.m. June 4Rear Adm. William A. MoffettBuilding 2272, Room 150.CCivilian GS-12/13/14s, or themilitaryequivalent, who are currently or aspir-ing to be in the programmanagement

(PM) career field are invited to attenda “PMLeadership Panel Discussion”event. Participants will have the op-portunity to hear from senior leadersacross the PM career field. Panelistswill share personal career develop-ment experiences and provide candid

insights into how to develop as lead-ers within an organization. The audi-encewill have the opportunity to askquestions at the end of the event. Reg-ister via NAVAIR University: https://navairu.navair.navy.mil. Formoreinformation, call 301-757-9033.

Program Manager Leadership Panel Discussion

time I finishedAD“A” School,I had settled in.”

Castro rose through theenlisted ranks, being pro-moted to petty officer sec-ond class. During that time,Castro also achieved anothermilestone— citizenship.

Citizenship and commission“Mydivisionchief talked to

me about a commission afterIwasnaturalized as a citizen,”Castro said. “He encouragedme every step of the way andwas influential in applying fora commission. He was alsoinstrumental in showing mehowSailors shouldbe treated.

“I have a high respect forpeople,” Castro added. “Youmustmentor your Sailors andremind them that they won’tbe a junior Sailor forever. Mychief took good care of meand I always want to returnthe goodwill andmentorshiphe showedme.”

After graduating fromOfficer Candidate School,Castro later converted fromactive duty to Full-TimeSupport (FTS).

FTS allows Reservists toperform full-time active dutyservice in positions that sup-port the training and admin-istration of the Navy Reserve.Members receive the samepay, allowances and benefitsas active dutymembers.

Castro said his careerpath’s diversity allowedhim to go places and meetpeople that most could onlydream of.

“This is my eighth perma-nent change of station sincejoining the Navy,” Castro ex-plained. I’ve been to placeslikeNewCaledonia, Australia,Indonesia, Malaysia, Singa-pore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, In-dia,HongKong, Japan,China,Russia and even Ireland.

“I saw firsthand the posi-tive impact a successful navalcareer canhave on your com-munity, country and world,”he said.

Castro said it was im-portant to give back to thecommunities that support

servicemembers and theirfamilies.

“Onmy off-duty time I liketo participate in the Civil AirPatrol (CAP) and have beena member since November2008,” Castro said. “CAP is agreat place for you to meetand work with people whoshare your interest in flyingand want to use their skills inameaningful way.”

While an active volunteerwith CAP, Castro also findstime to give back to the Fili-pino community.

Filipino — American roots“Filipinos are rich in cul-

ture and family values,” Cas-tro said. “I’m proud of whereI came from. I’m a natural-izedU.S. citizen, but I still lovewhere I’m from. It’s somethingmy mom instilled in us, neverbe ashamed of who you are oryour humble beginnings.

“I remind my kids of theirroots,” he said. “It’s importantto celebrate diversity. Differ-ent experiences and skills areimportant to the Navy’s over-all success andmission. Peo-ple who possess a willingnessto work and learn will alwayssucceed in theNavy.”

Castrosaidhis senseofvol-unteerismalso ledhim to jointhe Filipino-American Asso-ciation of SouthernMaryland(FIL-AMSOMD).

FIL-AMSOMD organizesevents open to all to promoteFilipino-American culture,improve community relationsand to provide communityservice by supporting chari-table organizations, he said.

“One of my favorite thingsis to celebrate the associa-tion’s Fiesta,” Castro said.

The 2015 FIL-AM Fiestacelebrates Filipino heritagewith traditional folk costumes,cultural dances and traditionalcuisine. This year’s Fiesta is3-10 p.m. June 6 at the Holly-woodFireDepartmentHall.

“It’s an important eventfor everyone in the area whodoesn’t get a chance to gohome,”heexplained.“Wecel-ebrate our Filipino andAmer-ican culture at the same time.It reminds every one of theirroots and how far we havecome in our journey.”

U.S. Navy photo

Lt. Cmdr. Arthur Castro, center, assigned to NAVAIRMulti-Mission Tactical UAS ProgramOffice (PMA-266), is directlyresponsible for identifying/tracking top cost drivers andproposing solutions to reduce total ownership cost and topromote fleet readiness.

weight, estimated age, sex,and the length of the beak,talons and tarsus, which is apart of the leg.

The oldest chick, found

near the golf course, was a fe-male about 40 days old; andthe youngest, from Goose

Creek, was only 25 days oldand too young to determineits sex. A pair of 32-day-old

siblings, one male and onefemale, were found nearHolton Pond.

Smith noted that if it isdetermined these particularbirds are a threat to the sta-tion’s airfield safety, it willbe necessary to contact theU.S. Fish andWildlife Serviceto discuss the possibility ofseeking permits to removethe nests.

After banding, the un-harmed eagles were safelyreturned to their nests.

U.S. Navy photos by Jackie Smith

Each of the four young eagles, from three nests identifiedaboard NAS Patuxent River, was lowered from its nest in ablack bag andweighed before beingmeasured and banded. Afalconer’s hoodwas used to keep the eagles calm. The band-ing and nestmonitoring is part of ongoing studies of eagleproductivity, local feeding and roosting, as well asmovementpatterns in support of Pax River’s Bird/Aircraft Strike Hazard(BASH) Reduction Program.

CASTROContinued from 1

EAGLESContinued from 1

By Emily BurdeshawMaritime Patrol andReconnaissance AircraftProgram Office (PMA-290)Public Affairs

Secretary of Defense AshCarter presented the 2014

David Packard Excellence inAcquisition and Should Costand Innovation Award to theMaritime Patrol and Recon-naissance Aircraft ProgramOffice (PMA-290) May 21 ata ceremony held in Washing-ton, D.C.

PMA-290’s efforts saved$5.2 billion in 2014 across theP-8A Poseidon system de-velopment and demonstra-tion, production and indus-trial support and sustainmentphases.

“Should cost,” is a BetterBuying Power (BBP) initiativeto incentivize productivityand reduce cost. It challengesDOD leadership to reevaluatea program’s cost estimate torepresent efficient econom-ics within the constraints of adeclining budget.

“Our team continuallychallenges the norm, ask-ing ‘can we do better?’” said

Capt. Scott Dillon, PMA-290program manager. “Fromproduction efficiency to fulllifecycle management, wehave been thinking outsideof the box to deliver warf-ighting capability to the fleetin a timely and cost-effectivemanner.”

P-8A is the first Navy air-craft to be built from the starton a commercial productionline, which allows the pro-

gram to significantly reducetime and overall cost.

Each P-8A Poseidon air-craft begins on a Boeing 737production line, leveragingefficient commercial prac-tices to significantly reducetime and overall cost. BoeingCommercial Airplanes inte-grates P-8 unique systems,such as hydraulics, wiringand aircraft structures, earlyin the production process —

eliminating the need for cost-ly rework during finalmissionsystems installationbyBoeingDefense Systems.

In addition to this in-novative use of commercialproduction processes, theprogram office generatedsignificant cost savings bybreaking out select weaponssystems from the overall air-craft acquisition contract. Inthis way, PMA-290 avoided

significant pass-throughfees for contractor furnishedequipment.

“We worked with our re-source sponsor and industrycounterparts to develop prac-tices that showwehave a long-term view in mind,” Dillonexplained. “We maintain pro-ductivity and efficiency whileconstantly evaluating how tobest function in this environ-ment of budget uncertainty.”

PMA-290 took a look atthe Operations and Supportphasebudget and foundaddi-tional savings in sustainmentof aircraft deployed across theglobe.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach for an aircraft ofthis complexity,” Dillon said.“We tailor each element ofthe maintenance strategy toleverage the best organizationfor each job, whether that isthe commercial expertise forthe 737 airframe and enginedepot maintenance or theorganic, in-house talent forP-8Amissions systems.”

Since the first operation-al deployment in 2013, theP-8A has flown nearly 34,000hours in over 6,000 sorties.The “should cost” effort hassaved the program billions ofdollars and will continue todo so for years to come, headded.

For more information onBBP Should Cost, visit http://bbp.dau.mil/ or http://www.dau.mil/pubscats/ATL%20Docs/Sep-Oct11/Carter_Mueller.pdf.

P-8A team patrols budget, saves billons

U.S. Navy photo

Members of theMaritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft ProgramOffice (PMA-290) receive the 2014 David Packard Excel-lence in Acquisition and Should Cost and Innovation Award fromSecretary of Defense AshCarter, third from left, May 21 at aceremony inWashington, D.C. PMA-290’s efforts led to $5.2 billion in cost savings across the full-scope of P-8A Poseidon devel-opment, production and sustainment phases.

4 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester

By Emily FunderburkNAVAIR Total Force (AIR 7.3)Communications Support

In times of great crisis, do westill fall into the trap of judg-ing people by the way theylook or where they are from?

That’soneof thequestionsthe Emmy Award-winningdocumentary “The Legacyof Heart Mountain,” triesto answer. The film, shownhereMay 13 tomore than 300employees, was part of NA-VAIR’s Asian-American Pa-cific Islander Heritage Monthevents.

“HeartMountain” is a sto-ry about the Heart Mountaininternment camp near Cody,Wyoming. DuringWorldWarII, 10,000 Japanese-Ameri-cans were imprisoned there,leaving behind their jobs andproperty, after the 1942 at-tack on Pearl Harbor.

It’s a story rarely told inAmerican classrooms andhistory textbooks, said DavidOno, the documentary’s co-producer and a co-anchor ofABC7EyewitnessNews inLosAngeles.

“The lessons we get fromracial profiling and hate arelessons we can still see to-

day,” he said. “These storiesresonate today; they go onforever.”

One story is that of Shir-ley Ann Higuchi, chair of theHeart Mountain WyomingFoundation, whose parentswere imprisoned at HeartMountain. She is featured inthe film and spoke as partof a panel at the base the-ater after the showing. Hi-guchi’s parents met at theHeart Mountain high school,reconnecting after their re-

lease and eventually gettingmarried. Higuchi honoredher late mother’s wishes andworked to establish a perma-nentmuseumon the groundswhere the internment camponce stood.

“As children and Ameri-can citizens,myparentswereimprisoned without causeand without a trial,” she said.

This year’s Asian-Amer-ican Pacific Islander Monththeme was “Many Cultures,One Voice: Promote Equality

and Inclusion.” The speak-ers reinforced that diversityand inclusion are part of theAmerican experience, andthat attacks on civil libertiesand personal freedoms, suchas those that occurred atHeart Mountain, are not.

“When we are isolated,distant and ignorant of apopulation thatmay not looklike or speak like us, we arevulnerable to only seeing ourdifferences and ignoring ourcommon interests and des-

tiny,” said Douglas Nelson,vice chair of theHeartMoun-tainWyoming Foundation.

Rear Adm. CJ Jaynes,executive champion of NA-VAIR’s Asian-American Pa-cific Islander Diversity Advi-sory Team, agreed: “All of usneed to participate in diver-sity and inclusion and mak-ing ourselves more open toothers,” she said.

The event was hosted byNAVAIR’s Asian-AmericanPacific Islander Diversity Ad-visory Team, which seeks toexplore and eliminate possi-ble barriers Asian-Americansmay experience in movinginto senior management.Asians make up approxi-mately 7 percent of the NA-VAIRworkforce. OfNAVAIR’s39 Senior Executive Servicemembers, none self-identifyas Asian-American.

NAVAIR’s other diversityadvisory teams focus on in-dividuals with disabilities,Hispanic engagement, Afri-can-Americans and women.

Emily Funderburk pro-vides contract communica-tion support as an employeeof Bowhead Professional So-lutions, LLC.

NAVAIR commemorates Asian-American heritage with story of Heart Mountain

U.S. Navy photo by Adam Skoczylas

Employeeswatch a screening of the EmmyAward-winning documentary “The Legacy ofHeart Mountain” onMay 13 as part of NAVAIR’s Asian-American Pacific Islander HeritageMonth event.

November 1947Florence (Ebersole) SmithFinch received theU.S.Medalof Freedom, the highest civil-ianmedal awarded toAmeri-can citizens living abroadwhoaided in thewar effort. Finch,the daughter of anAmericansoldier and a Filipinomother,wasworking for theU.S. ArmyduringWorldWar II when theJapanese occupied the Philip-pines and assisted numerousPOWs in Japanese captivity.

May 7, 1990President George H.W. Bushissued a proclamation des-ignatingMay 1990 as thefirst Asian/Pacific AmericanHeritageMonth, changing theobservance from aweek to amonth.

Oct. 16, 2013Adm. Harry Harris Jr., born inJapan, is the first Asian Ameri-can to head the U.S. PacificFleet, leading the same officefromwhich Admiral ChesterNimitz led the Navy againstthe Japanese duringWorldWar II. Harris is the highest-ranking Asian-Americanin the history of the UnitedStates Navy.

HERITAGEContinued from 1

Thursday, May 28, 2015 5Tester

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

Unleash your inner art-ist and explore your creativ-ity at Paint ’n Party, offeredthroughMorale, Welfare andRecreation’s CustomizedCreations.

No artistic ability is nec-essary to participate in themonthly classes, which be-gan in April and meet at theEagle’s Nest Pub, located in-sideRiver’s EdgeCatering andConference Center.

“I came up with a set oforiginal designs and eachmonth we paint a differ-ent one,” explained Dhy-ana Mackenzie, directorof Customized Creations.“In April, we painted a redpoppy and inMay a beauti-ful seahorse. June’s paint-ing is sunset at the bridgeto Solomons, and July is awater lily painting with a

full moon reflected off thewater at night.”

Glori VanBrunt is a smallbusiness owner who jugglesher private mental healthpractice, three teenagers anda husband who’s a retiredMarine, now working at PaxRiver. She was looking for afun activity to reduce stressand spend time with friends.

“Time with friends is notthe easiest to come by, but Iknow it’s essential,” she said.“I emailed 10 girlfriends toinvite them to come enjoy a‘mom’s night out’ and sharesome laughs, meet some newpeople and be creative.”

When VanBrunt and hergroup arrived, they found aneasel on each table with thedesign already drawn out ona 16x20-inch canvas, alongwith all thenecessarypaintingsupplies and brushes. Mack-enzie, an accomplished fineartist, led the class through

the step-by-step process ofbringing their painting to life,and walked around the roomoffering individual direction.

In addition to havingfun, VanBrunt learned a fewthings, too.

“Shadingwas funand I real-

ized it really does give a paint-ing more depth,” she said.“And I learned that I don’t haveto strive for perfection when

I know the ability is not there.I’d definitely do it again.”

Paint ’n PartyCreativity and fun, one brush stroke at a time

Courtesy photo

Class members from the April Paint ‘n Party held at the Eagles’ Nest Pub at NAS Patuxent Riverdisplay their colorful hand-painted poppy canvases.

Paint ’n PartyRegister now5-8 p.m. June 25Eagle’s Nest PubRiver’s Edge Cateringand Conference Center

Arrive by 4:30 p.m.to purchase drinksand food. This month’spainting is sunset at thebridge to Solomons. Cost$35; supplies included.To register, phoneCustomized Creationsat 301-342-6294. Classsize is limited to 20.Bartender available forduration of event;must be 21 yearsto participate.

1050985

6 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester Thursday, May 28, 2015 Tester 7

has arrived

Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System

“The many years of innovative

thinking, expert problem solving and

exhaustive dedication from the men

and women working on the EMALS

program will benefit carrier-based

naval aviation for years to come.”

PMA 251 program manager

Capt. Steve Tedford

DECEMBER 1999

Programbeginswith twotechnical developmentcontracts for the design,fabrication and testingof EMALS prototypes

1940s – The Navy designs, constructsand tests an electromagnetic aircraftlaunch system using inductionmotor technology, even successfullylaunching an operational aircraft ofthe day. The project is essentiallyabandoned at the end of WWII

1980s – The Navy conducts a ConceptFeasibility Study with positive resultsand, in 1988, the Navy’s EMALS teamdevelops a model which undergoes aseries of preliminary tests

The

APRIL 2004

Contract to design, test,and support a full-scale,shipboard-representativeEMALS is awarded toGeneral Atomics

NOVEMBER 2007

EMALS passes finalcrit ical design review

MAY 2011

The first production EMALS components are delivered to theshipyard in Newport News, Virginia for installation aboard CVN 78

Phase 2 of AircraftCompatibility Testing beginswith the manned launch ofan E/A-18G Growler

NOVEMBER2012

SFD test phaseis complete

MARCH 2013

Program completesshared generator testingmilestone ahead ofschedule and completesshared inverter testingtwo months later

AUGUST 2014

Testing begins onbelow-deck EMALSc o m p o n e n t saboard CVN 78,above-deck testingbegins four monthslater in December

APRIL 2009

U.S. Navy fu l lyc o m m i t s t ointegrating EMALSaboard Gerald R. Ford(CVN 78), the firstship in a new class ofaircraft carriers

Ceremonial ribbon cutting is heldfor the completion of the SystemFunctional Demonstration (SFD)site at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey

A manned F/A-18E islaunched via EMALS,which marks thebeginning of AircraftCompatibility TestingPhase 1

NOVEMBER 2009

DECEMBER 2010

JUNE 2013 The f i rs t Sa i lors ,leadership from theFord’s V-2 Div is ion,complete EMALS training.Severa l more Pre-Commissioning Unit Sailorssuccessfully completetraining in months to come

OCTOBER 2014

JUNE 2011

The C-2A Greyhoundand T-45C Goshawkare launched

The E-2DAdvancedHawkeye islaunched

SEPTEMBER 2011 MAY100% of EMALS hardware is delivered to shipyard for installation

EMALS is the first new aircraft launch technology to be employed by the U.S. Navy in more

than 60 years. Unlike the traditional steam-powered catapults, EMALS will launch aircraft with

electromagnetic energy. EMALS uses stored kinetic energy and solid-state electrical power

conversion, which permits a high degree of computer control, monitoring and automation.

The complete carrier-based launch system, designed for the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and subsequent

Ford-class aircraft carriers, will make its debut when the first-in-class ship delivers in spring 2016.

The system offers a wider energy range than steam catapults, which expands the Navy’s future aircraft

carrier operational capability, supporting the current and planned air wing - from lightweight unmanned

to heavy strike fighters.

EMALS’ numerous benefits include:

Increased reliability and efficiency

More accurate end-speed control and smoother acceleration

Increased sortie rates and reduced stress to aircraft and ship during launch

Intuitive maintenance software will reduce troubleshooting times

Cost reduction over time due to decreased manning and maintenance requirements

Substantial improvements in system weight, volume and maintenance

EMALS over steam catapults means quieter and cooler work and living spaces for Sailors

Dead- load launches beg inin suppor t o f SFD s i tecommissioning, which completesin September

MAY 2010

An F-35C is launched as ademonstration point

NOVEMBER 2011 With the successfullaunch of the F/A-18CHornet, the programcompletes AircraftCompatibility Testingwith a total of 452manned launches

APRIL 2014

The Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment

(ALRE) Program Office (PMA 251) is

comprised of 48 systems supporting Navy and

Marine Corps aviation, and is jointly located at

NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and Joint Base

McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. ALRE is

part of NAVAIR’s Program Executive Office for

Tactical Aircraft (PEO(T)).

The ALRE team responds to fleet needs

and provides field support and full life-cycle

acquisition management for many aviation

mission-critical systems, including legacy

systems and newly-developed technologies

for the fleet of tomorrow.

In addition to EMALS, the ALRE portfolio

includes catapults, arresting gear, helicopter

landing systems, wind measuring systems,

aviation-based information systems, aviation

marking and lighting, recovery systems

and visual landing aids, aircraft firefighting

equipment, expeditionary airfield systems and

related products.

NAVAIR public release 2015-478

First EMALS high-powered electromagneticmaneuvers are conducted and no-load testlaunches begin aboard CVN 78

JUNEEMALS dead-load launches, using aircraft-representative weighted sledswill be conducted from the carrier’s flight deck

SUMMERSystem Development and Demonstration test phase is slated to complete andwill be followedbyan Integrated, Test andEvaluation (IT&E)period.During IT&E,land-based test site operations will be conducted to simultaneously supportsystem reliability growth, conduct training for operators and maintainers, andCVN 78 delivery by providing full-scale troubleshooting capability, if required

U.S. Navy graphic by Julie CopseyAircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (PMA-251) Communications Support

.

Thursday, May 286:30 p.m., The Age of Adaline

After miraculously remaining 29years old for almost eight decades, Ada-line Bowman has lived a solitary exis-tence, never allowing herself to get closeto anyone who might reveal her secret.But a chance encounter with charismaticphilanthropist Ellis Jones reignites herpassion for life and romance. When aweekend with his parents threatens touncover the truth, Adaline makes a deci-sion that will change her life forever.

Friday, May 296:30 p.m.,Avengers: Age of Ultron

The epic follow-up to the biggest Su-per Hero movie of all time. When TonyStark tries to jumpstart a dormant peace-keeping program, things go awry andEarth’s Mightiest Heroes, including IronMan, Captain America, Thor, The Incred-ible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye,are put to the ultimate test as the fate of

the planet hangs in the balance. As thevillainous Ultron emerges, it is up to theAvengers to stop him from enacting histerrible plans, and soon uneasy alliancesand unexpected action pave the way foran epic and unique global adventure.

9:40 p.m., Ex MachinaCaleb Smith, a programmer at an

internet-search giant, wins a competitionto spend a week at the private mountainestate of the company’s brilliant and re-clusive CEO, Nathan Bateman. Uponhis arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan haschosen him to be the human componentin a Turing Test-charging him with evalu-ating the capabilities, and ultimately theconsciousness, of Nathan’s latest experi-ment in artificial intelligence. That experi-ment is Ava, a breathtaking A.I. whose

emotional intelligence proves moresophisticated--and more deceptive--thanthe two men could have imagined.

Saturday, May 304:30 p.m.,Avengers: Age of Ultron7:40 p.m., Ex Machina

Sunday, May 312 p.m., Avengers: Age of Ultron

Monday, June 1and Tuesday, June 2Theater is not open

Wednesday, June 36:30 p.m.,Avengers: Age of Ultron

8 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester

Fleet and Family Support Center

What’s Happening With MWRCenter Stage Theater

• Movie Line: 301-342-5033• Reservations: 301-342-3648• Ticket Prices: E-1 to E-5 cat-egory: adults, $3.50 and youthsages 6-11, $2.50. All others:adults, $4.50; youths ages 6-11,$3.50.• 3-D glasses: $1• Authorized ID required foradmission

All classes are held at the Fleetand Family Support Center in Build-ing 2090 off Bundy Road unless oth-erwise noted. Classes are open toactive-duty and retired military andReservists. Reservations are neces-sary and can be made at FFSC or bycalling 301-342-4911.

ClassesPlaygroup at Glenn Forest Com-

munity Center: 10-11 a.m. May 28,June 4, 11, 18, 25Anger Management (six, two-hoursessions): 2-4 p.m. May 28, June2 and 4Understanding the Finances ofHome Buying: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30p.m. June 3Welcome to Patuxent River: 9-11a.m. June 3Amazing Newborns: 4-6 p.m.

June 4Suicide Awareness and Preven-tion: 2-3 p.m. June 9Ombudsman Assembly: 6-7:30p.m. June 9Ten Steps to a Federal Job: 1-4p.m. June 10Myers Briggs: 8 a.m. to noonJune 11Interviewing Techniques: 1-4 p.m.June 11

For all MWR news, visit www.cnic.navy.mil/Patuxent and click onthe Fleet and Family Readiness tab.

Phone directoryInformation, Tickets and TravelOffice 301-342-3648Drill Hall 301-757-3943River’s Edge

301-342-3656NRC Solomons

410-326-6830Fleet & Family Support Center

301-342-4911Center Stage Theater

301-342-5033Customized Creations

301-342-6293Rassieur Youth Center

301-342-1694Cedar Point Golf Course

301-342-3597

River’s Edge4th of July Buffet, FireworksSaturday, July 4(Rain date: July 5, 2015)Light up your 4th of July with a

delicious meal, live entertainmentand a clear view of the Solomons Is-land Fireworks. On the Menu: PulledMesquite Roasted Pork, CatfishNuggets, Hamburgers, Hot Dogs,Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans,Grilled Veggies, Salads, Red Whiteand Blue Cake and more! Bring yourown lawn chairs or blankets to viewthe fireworks on our lawn.Gates open at 6 p.m. | Buffet is

open 6-8 p.m. Live entertainmentfrom 7-10 p.m.Cost:$25 per Adult$10 for Children 10 and under.Tickets on sale at River’s Edge

and the ITT Office. (tickets are non-refundable)Contractors cannot sponsor

guests aboard NAS Patuxent River.Coupons aren’t redeemable for thisevent. Please no coolers and nopets.

NRC SolomonsDive-in Theater - Lego MovieJune 12Pool will remain open from 7:30-

9 p.m. and the Movie will begin at 9p.m. at the Top Pool.

Movie in the ParkJune 13; 9 p.m.

Outdoor Film Fest9 p.m. June 23-26 at Light HouseParkTheme is “Fantasy Land” featur-

ing: Boxtrolls, Earth to Echo, Epicand Book of Life.

ITTRichmond NASCAR SprintCup Series OfferPurchase a NASCAR Sprint Cup

Series ticket and get:Admission to Toyota Military

Hospitality area on race day fea-turing refreshments and special

appearances, limited to first 1,500participants; and a complimentaryMilitary Appreciation Pre-Race PitPass valid from 2-6:30 p.m., timeand weather permitting. Ticketsavailable at www.rir.com/salute, se-lect “NAS Patuxent River”.

Drill HallSummer Hours:5 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays andholidays9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays

Triathlon8 a.m. June 6 at the Outdoor PoolRain Date: June 13Register at the Fitness and

Sports Office. FREE for active duty,retired, reserve military and DoDcivilians and their family members;$10 for contractors. ID required forproof of eligibility. All competitorsmust wear an approved safety hel-met that meets SNELL and/or ANSIstandards.

Rassieur Youth CenterFamily Cookout6-8 p.m. May 29 at the RassieurYouth CenterCost: $2 per personCome enjoy hot dogs, chips and

drinks. Outdoor games includingcorn hole! Please sign-up and payat the Youth Center front desk byWednesday, May 27.

If You See Something, Say SomethingTo report suspicious activity at NAS Patuxent River, including suspiciousaerial activity, call the NAS Security Department at 301-757-4669, or dial 911in an emergency.

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3 bed/2 bath tucked away on over an acre. Quiet cul-de-sac location.Large family room with fireplace, brand new rear deck, new carpetthroughout and roof has just been replaced! $274,000

4 for the price of 1! Two duplexes sit on 3 lots in water access/wateroriented community just minutes from PAX River. Live in one andrent out the other three! Owner financing possible. $275,000

Walk to town from this 3 bed/3.5 bath waterfront town home;elevator included! Multiple decks, several family rooms, office,gorgeous kitchen with stainless appliances and granitecounters....very versatile floor-plan. $449,000

It doesn’t get much better than this! Custom built 4 bed/2.5 bathhome w/ everything up-graded! Gourmet kitchen w/ cherrycabinets, Corian counters, top of the line stainless appliances,screened porch, private, fenced backyard, sprinkler system,extensive hard-scape. $439,900

Former model home tucked away on 5 level acres. 4 bed/3.5 bath,hardwood flooring, sun room, bay windows, gourmet kitchen w/new stainless appliances, finished basement w/ full bath, recentlyreplaced roof & both heating & air systems. Offered at $515,000

Georgian colonial has been totally remodeled! Home showsbeautifully and is in “mint” condition. 6 bed/5.5 ba/3 car garageincluding 2 master suites; one on main level. Finished basement w/bedroom & full ba plus loads of storage. Water access community.$699,000

LEONARDTOWN; SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!

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Barbara StellwayAssociate BrokerAssociate Broker, CRS, CRS

TTop Producer; 2012/2013/2014op Producer; 2012/2013/2014O’Brien Realty

240-298-9191 Cell301-994-8242 Office Direct

Check out these propertiesand access MLS @

barbarastellway.com

ON BASE:Road and Parking Lot SurveysMonth of JunePaved road and parking lot

condition surveys are scheduledthroughout June for NAS Pax Riv-er, NRC Solomons and WebsterOutlying Field. Surveys should benon-intrusive. Surveyors are driv-ing marked vehicles with specialequipment attached the sides. Thesurveys will help with the develop-ment of future projects to improveroads and parking areas.

Kids’ Fishing Derby9 a.m. to noon June 6; register nowLOX Farm Pond, corner of Tate andBuse RoadsCatch and release event open

to children ages 15 and under withbase access. Must be accompa-nied by an adult. Prizes awardedin age groups, hot dogs and drinksprovided, no fishing license or basepermit required that day. Registra-tion is free, but limited to 45. Pickup a form from the front porch ofthe Mattapany Rod and Gun Club,across the street from the Skeetrange and drop it back off in dropbox at same location. For questionsor more details, please call VanMarks at 240-925-2188 or ChrisTyson at 301-247-5044.

If You See Something, SaySomethingPublic safety is everyone’s re-

sponsibility. If you see suspiciousactivity, report it to local law enforce-ment or to a person of authority; thisincludes suspicious aerial activity.

Describe specifically what you ob-served, including: Who or what yousaw; when you saw it; where it oc-curred; and why it’s suspicious.

Where’s Gnorman?Somewhere in this issue we’ve

hidden Gnorman the gnome. Any-one spotting Gnorman can emailtester@dcmilitary.com or phone301-342-4163 now through 5 p.m.Friday, and include a brief descrip-tion of where he’s located. Onename is drawn from all entries andwins a Center Stage Theater movieticket. The same person cannot winmore than once per month. Gnor-man was found in the May 21 issueby Joyce Long, on page 3 in the100th birthday celebration photo.

OFF BASE:Elks Association Free CampingOpportunity for Military KidsApply nowCamp Barrett, AnnapolisThrough the Junior Warriors

Program at Camp Barrett, the MD,DE and DC Elks State Associationprovides a week-long camping op-portunity for children of Active-DutyServicemen, National Guard andWounded Warriors. The camper’sfee of $125 is paid by Elks mem-ber donations. Available dates forcamping for boys are the weeksof 6/21, 6/28 and 7/5. For girls,the dates are 7/12, 7/19 and 7/26.For more information and to ap-ply, please contact Junior Warriorchairman Danniele McKnight atdannielemcknight@yahoo.com.For more information about Camp

Barrett, visit www.elks-camp-bar-rett.com.

Hollywood Elementary OpenHouses6:30-7:30 p.m. June 2 for kinder-garten; June 4 for grades 1-5For new students who will be

attending Hollywood due to redis-tricting. For more information, call301-373-4350 or visit www.smcps.org/hes.

Annual Relay for Life — St.Mary’s County6 p.m. to 2 a.m. June 6St. Mary’s County FairgroundsExciting eight-hour event filled

with ceremonies, entertainment,fundraisers, food, crafts, vendors,laughter and hope while celebrat-ing the lives of those who’ve battledcancer, remembering loved oneslost and empowering communitiesto fight back. Free and open to thepublic. Visit www.relayforlife.org/stmarysmd to register. On-site reg-istration is also available.

Thursday, May 28, 2015 9Tester

Around Town

St. Nicholas ChapelServices ScheduleProtestant Services•Worship 11a.m.Sunday•Men’sDiscipleship 6-7:30 p.m.SundayReligiousProgrammingCenter•Women’sStudy 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdayand 10-11:30 a.m. ThursdayReligiousProgrammingCenterCatholic Services•Mass5p.m.Sundays

News Briefs

Adult Summer Reading ProgramJune 1 through Aug. 14St. Mary’s County Libraries

Participants read whatever they likeand earn points by submitting reviewson the St. Mary’s College of Marylandlibrary blog or handwritten at any librarybranch. Prizes awardedmonthly and themore points you earn, the more you’reentered for grand prize drawings. Regis-ter through your local branch.

Bluegrass Down by the River4-6 p.m. June 7Leonardtown WharfSpecial evening of uplifting mu-

sic by the Bluegrass Gospel Ex-press. For more information callJerry at 240-925-5613 or PastorPaul at 240-561-5925.

St. Clement’s Island Heritage Day10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 13St. Clement’s Island Museum,Colton’s PointFree complimentary boat ride to St.

Clement’s Island State Park where visi-tors can enjoy a day of history, fun ac-tivities, interesting exhibitors and scenicwaterside vistas. Last boat to islanddeparts museum pier at 2 p.m. and re-turns to mainland at 3 p.m. BlackistoneLighthouse open for tours. St. Clem-ent’s IslandMuseum open from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. Free event.

Calling All Cooks, Hot Bikesand Cool Cars10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13Annmarie Sculpture Garden andArts Center

Looking for chili cooks, hot bike andclassic car owners to be part of the sec-

ond Chili in the Garden event. Includespublic chili tasting, live music, car andbike show, family activities, awards andmore. To enter a chili team or registeryour classic vehicle, call Crystal Seayat 410-326-4640, email info@annmar-iegarden.org or visit www.annmariegar-den.org, under the “events” tab.

Summer Space CampsJuly 20-23 for students enteringgrades 2 to 6July 27-30 for students enteringgrades 9 to 12Great Mills High School

Register now for the ninth annualSpace Camp provides science, tech-nology, engineering and math classesin a fun learning environment. Onlineregistration is available at www.smcps.org and click on the “Students/Parents”tab. The information can be found under

the “Summer Activities” link. Select thesession your student would like to attendand fill out the form provided.

• Discover other fun, interestingand educational things to do andplaces to go throughout the areaby visiting:St. Mary’s County events:www.visitstmarysmd.com/events-entertainment/St. Mary’s County libraries:www.stmlib.orgCalvert County events:www.co.cal.md.usCalvert Marine Museum:www.calvertmarinemuseum.comCalvert County libraries:www.calvert.lib.md.usCharles County events:www.charlescountymd.gov/calendar-date/month

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SILVER HILL LIONS CLUB, INC.

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2015 andSATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015

Gates Open at 5:30 P.M. • RACE 7:00 P.M.POTOMAC SPEEDWAY - BUDDS CREEK

1-888-44-DERBYWWW.SHLCDEMOLITIONDERBY.COMGet an Old Car - Be A Derby Driver!

4 classes, plus Youth DerbyAll net proceeds go to Silver Hill Lions Foundation charities

$18.00 ADULTS$9.00 CHILDREN UNDER 10

ALL PROFITS GO TO LIONS CLUB CHARITIES$5 Discount

per person forMilitary

Personnel andfamily members*Must show ID

FREE PARKING

10 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester

3265 LeonardtownRoad (Rt.5)

Waldorf,MDOPEN10-4DAILY •CLOSEDSUNDAY

301-374-2333 • 800-841-9004

In-homedelivery & safe

moving available

Liberty...

...andChampion

...Browning Safes

Lock It Up Or Lose It!Protect All Of Your

Valuables! Photos,

Important Papers, & Guns

Distributor for

arolinaCSafes

Thanks for Keeping UsSafe!

1034306

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Thursday, May 28, 2015 11Tester

12 Thursday, May 28, 2015Tester

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