Navy Aviation Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO) Association



Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer History

1967 – 2015

Compiled by LCDR Leanne R. Carter

Acknowledgement

A hearty thanks to the aviators and aviation maintenance professionals that created our community and paved the way for the future generations to continue working for both the love of aviation and the dominance of our country. Although a ‘new’ community as compared to the age of the U.S. Navy, the Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer is there to ensure that Naval Aviation is the go-to asset called upon for every mission around the world.

Introduction

In honor of all my fellow Greenshirts who have gone before. This historical document is intended to capture our rich history for reference, nostalgia, and inspiration for all aviation maintenance duty officers; past, present and future. Although some of our history has been lost due to lack of documentation and loss of the leaders who lived in those times, a great deal of our history has been brought together for your enjoyment and safe-keeping for posterity.

I have been blessed to have served as an AMDO for 33 years. I wanted to give something back to the community that has been my second family for most of my life. This document is that gift. I hope all those who read it appreciate the sacrifices of those who paved the way for us. This is by no means all inclusive. If something is missing, please let us know.

A very special thank you to LCDR Leanne R. Carter, who spent countless hours conducting research and compiling the information for this document. Also, thank you to all the current AMDO Captains who contributed to the review and quality checks of the information.

CJ Jaynes

RDML, USN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Acknowledgement and Introduction

II. Table of Contents

III. What is an AMDO

IV. Major Points in History

A. 1940-50s

B. 1960s

C. 1970s

D. 1980s

E. 1990s

F. 2000s

G. 2010s

V. List of Flag Officers and Biographies

VI. Abbreviations

VII. Bibliography

What is an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer?

The Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO) community traces its history back to the late 1950s and celebrates its anniversary with a gathering/symposium for camaraderie and education.

Beginning in the late 1950s, and continuing through the early 1960s, various CNO-directed studies identified a need for an officer corps dedicated to providing full-time, professional aircraft maintenance in response to the challenges presented by the new generation of sophisticated and expensive weapon systems then being introduced into the fleet. Anticipated reliability and maintainability issues could not be permitted to compromise operational readiness or flight safety. There were simply too few professional maintenance officers available to meet these new challenges. As a result of dedicated lobbying efforts of many, led by Captain Howard Goben and Commander Virgil Lemmon, in June 1967 the Navy Personnel Command (BUPERS) formally proposed the establishment of the Aviation Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO) designator, 152X. HR 13050 amended Title 10 USC in November 1967 to permit the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) to create the AMDO specialty. SECNAV officially established the Restricted Line community in July 1968. December 1968 saw the selection of the "Original 100" AMDOs from the ranks of naval aviators, general aviation officers, aviation limited duty officers and aeronautical engineering duty officers. This group became the nucleus of a professional aircraft maintenance management corps, which has since grown to over 600 officers. In 1969, formal line transfer boards commenced to bring highly qualified, fleet-experienced officers into the community on a regular basis. AMDO entry-level accessions come from the Naval Academy, Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS), Officer Candidate School (OCS), Reserve Officers Training Corp’s (ROTC), and flight school attrites. Today accessions come from OCS and Unrestricted Line (URL) attrites.

AMDOs start their professional education with a nine-week course at the Aviation Maintenance Officers School in Milton, Florida, near Pensacola. Mid-grade officers enhance their skills through a Senior Aviation Maintenance Officers course (A2M2). Many AMDOs earn their Master’s Degree at the Navy Postgraduate School. The Defense Systems Management College provides material acquisition and logistics support training for many Washington-bound 1520s. The Naval War College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces are both available to 1520s, and offer challenging curricula that broaden the horizons of the AMDO. Sea/shore rotation continues from Ensign through Commander. The junior AMDO is primarily operational with fleet tours in all types of squadrons and Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC). Mid-grade AMDOs serve as air wing maintenance officers, assistant Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) officers, AIMD production control officers, L-Class ship AIMD officers, and in-staff tours – both in the fleet and in Washington. The highlight of the Commander years is a tour as an AIMD officer or FRC Officer in Charge (OIC), which the community equates to the aviator's squadron command tour.

In 1981, a decision was made to join the AMDOs and Aviation Engineering Duty Officers (AEDO) at the Captain level into a new, single competitive category with a 1500 designator. In 1983, the community instituted a formal selection board to select Commanders for assignment as Department Head of major shore and afloat AIMDs.

In December 1988, the first AMDO was selected to Flag Rank. In 1990, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Carlisle A. H. Trost formed the AMDO Training and Administration of Reserve (TAR) program; now known as Full Time Support (FST)-designator 1527. These dedicated, full-time reserve officers provide fleet experience and professionalism to the management of reserve AIMDs, staffs, and squadrons.

The original AMDO mission, "To provide full-time direction in the development, establishment, and implementation of maintenance and material management policies and procedures for the support of naval aircraft, airborne weapons, attendant systems and related support equipment," is still very valid. Today, however, in addition to working in fleet maintenance organizations throughout the fleet, AMDOs are very much involved in all aspects of material acquisition and support as top-level Program Managers in NAVAIR and as Commanding Officers of the Naval Aviation Depots; now FRCs. Most senior AMDOs are qualified Acquisition Professionals (AMDO Community Overview, 44).

Aviation Maintenance in the 1940s and 50s

Much of the history from the 1940s and before has been undocumented or lost through the passage of time. The following information has been passed down or documented in some form to provide a small glimpse into the maintenance methods of that time.

Prior to World War II, the senior aviation chief machinist mate ran every aspect of the squadron maintenance program, which was largely self-developed and handed down by his predecessor. He answered to the Commanding Officer and managed his own supply bins; success or failure depended on his maintenance program (48). During this time, the squadrons were more or less self-supporting with aircraft and maintenance types assigned (27).

Sometime in the early years of WWII, the Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU) and Carrier Aircraft Service Detachment (CASD) concepts were introduced. Ownership of the aircraft, and the maintenance thereof, was given to the CASU, ashore, and the CASD, aboard the carrier. The CASU also maintained a pool of replacement aircraft. All the maintenance troops were assigned to the CASD, which stayed aboard the carrier. The CASD provided great availability. The squadrons in this concept were considered “streamlined,” in that the relatively few personnel involved could be readily moved, while the maintenance personnel stayed with the ship until the ship as a whole rotated or the war was over (27).

The history of the Naval Aviation Engineering Service Unit (NAESU) began in the fall of 1942 during an era of unprecedented production of new electronic devices. At this time the Navy was faced with the urgent problem of supplying an ever-increasing number of skilled technicians to assist in the installation, operation, and maintenance of this complicated gear. As a solution to the shortage of trained technicians, the Bureau of Aeronautics (BUAER) established the Airborne Coordinating Group (ACG), a pool of highly trained military and civilian specialists whose services would be available to the naval aviation community whenever and wherever needed. By June 1945, this highly mobile task force consisted of 210 highly skilled technical personnel (8).

After the war, sometime in 1946, the Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron (FASRON) concept was generated in which the squadron again owned their aircraft and the maintenance and support personnel. The FASRON responsibility included maintenance of the facilities, hangar and shops with related support/test equipment and maintenance squadron spaces when the squadrons were deployed. They also had an extensive supply capability. They had inherited the maintenance of a replacement pool of aircraft from the CASU. They were responsible for the “heavy maintenance”, i.e., installation of service changes, major aircraft inspections, engine buildup, and other functions considered beyond the capabilities of the squadron personnel. The FASRON concept was workable because many good people made it work. The major shortcoming was that no one ever sat down and came up with a program that identified who did what regarding FASRON/squadron responsibilities. The air type commanders provided spotty guidelines, and one could go from station to station and find no universal maintenance program that clearly delineated responsibilities for aircraft maintenance. So, how well it worked depended on the players. Shipboard organization for maintenance was a little different (27).

The Air Department was divided into six divisions, V-1 through V-5, mostly air operations support oriented, i. e., cats and arresting gear, hangar deck operation, gas crew, and aircraft armament; while V-6 was responsible for maintaining shop and test bench facilities for use by squadron technicians. Pools of technicians were established in most carriers under the auspices of the embarked Commander, Air Group (CAG) in support of electronic check, test, and repair. Again, some carrier/CAGs had thoroughly integrated electronic repair organizations, while others just provided facilities and individual squadrons worked wholly on their own black boxes (27).

Captain (Ret) Howard Goben recalled the first periodic inspection sheets that he used were in his jeep squadron in 1944 in the Western Pacific (WESTPAC). They were generated within the individual commands for each type of aircraft, mimeographed, and used until another batch of BUAER Technical Directives came out and were then updated. The type commanders got into the act by publishing their own check sheets, but only for their own aircraft, and in most cases not all of them. Check sheets weren't standardized Navy-wide until 1956, by the newly established Inspection Requirements Branch at Patuxent River’s Test Center, who subsequently published the Handbook of Inspection Requirements (HIRs) (23).

Maintenance in the 1960s

Beginning in the late 1950s, and continuing through the early 1960s, various CNO-directed studies identified a need for an officer corps dedicated to providing full-time, professional aircraft maintenance in response to the challenges presented by the new generation of sophisticated and expensive weapon systems then being introduced into the fleet. Anticipated reliability and maintainability issues could not be permitted to compromise operational readiness or flight safety. There were simply too few professional maintenance officers available to meet these new challenges (44-AMDO Community Overview).

Then Commander Goben, Lieutenants Frank Floyd, Les Owensby and Bob Combs sought to create a standardized Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP). The NAMP was instituted in 1961 and finely delineated the responsibilities of the Intermediate and Organizational levels of maintenance (27 & 32).

The Maintenance Requirements Cards started coming out with new production aircraft in the early 1960s, but the fleet didn't get them across the board until 1964 (23).

The Maintenance Technical Advisory (MTA) Team was established at Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT) Staff. MTA Team visits in 1961-1963 determined a need for two new ratings. One rating was needed for the maintenance of aircraft logbooks and the other to maintain Ground Support Equipment. The logbook problem was tackled first. In those days, each squadron assigned at least two, and sometimes more, random ratings to the job of maintaining logbooks. No specific rating was pinpointed, therefore the accuracy of the logbooks and other maintenance records suffered. A letter from AIRLANT was sent to BUPERS in 1962 recommending the Aviation Maintenance Administrationman (AZ) rating. The proposal was put before the BUPERS Rating Review Board, a group of Flag and O-6 officers, and after the briefing, the rating was approved. The requirement for a Ground Support Equipment rating followed; AIRLANT initiated another letter to the BUPERS Rating Review Board. After some delay, the recommendation reached the Rating Review Board, it was briefed, and the Aviation Support Equipment Maintenanceman (AS) rating came into being. The two ratings have been an integral part of the overall Navy structure for over 35 years, with little change in rating scope (26).

Bill Rush (1955) recalled when he reported to Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (CNAL) in April 1964 and was assigned the task of writing a new Aircraft Maintenance and Material Management Manual. It was approved by then-CNO Admiral David L. McDonald on February 1, 1966 and traveled many miles with him in 1965-1967 as the "three levels of Maintenance” and the new “3M" system was implemented. This tour saw the initial demise of the V-6 division and the seeds planted for an AIMD aboard all aircraft carriers (27).

The Aviation Maintenance and Material Office (OP-514) was established in 1965. Numerous discussions were held concerning the need for an Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) maintenance office. Fortunately, there were enough Flags such as Vice Admiral Bill Martin and Rear Admiral Gerry Miller who supported this, so OP-514 became a permanent fixture in the halls of the Pentagon in 1965 (28 & 45).

Both Fleet Commanders recommended creating an Aviation Maintenance Officer in June 1965 (45).

On June 17, 1967, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (COMNAVAIRSYSCOM) submitted a letter to recommend changes to the draft BUPERS memo that was to establish a community of aviation maintenance specialists. This letter recommended the community name be changed from “Aviation Maintenance Officers” to “Aeronautical Maintenance Duty Officers”; the minimum experience requirement for eligibility was changed to “A sound and extensive background in aviation maintenance;” and the statement “Promotion opportunity in this community will be equal to that of the unrestricted line” was added to the publicity material. As in the Special Duty Officers (SDO) categories, officers designated as AMDO’s will compete only with officers of the same designator for promotion (1).

In 1965, the Airborne Coordinating Group (ACG) was renamed NAESU, with 1,300 personnel attached (8).

In April 1967, six Navy and Marine Corps Overhaul and Repair Departments were re-designated as separate commands and titled as Naval Air Rework Facilities (46).

On May 15, 1967, CNO Admiral McDonald directed the establishment of a new AIMD onboard all carriers except the training carrier. Its mission was to assume responsibility for all Carrier Air Wing (CVW) and squadron intermediate maintenance (46).

In July 1968, Public Law 90-386 approved amendment to authorize designation of Aviation Maintenance (46).

On September 1, 1969, Secretary of the Navy John J. Chaffee approved the establishment of Naval Aviation Integrated Logistics Support Center (NAILSC) to become a shore activity within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). This was the latest in a series of steps taken to implement DoD policies concerning integrated logistics support dating back to June 1964. When NAVAIR was established as a component of the Naval Material Command in May 1966, a centralized Logistics/Fleet Support Group (AIR-04) became an integral part of the Headquarters organization. This group was formed to provide specialized logistics support and services for aircraft, air-launched weapons systems, and their related families of assigned end items, systems and equipment. This included technical and maintenance management services of the Naval Air Technical Services Facility (NATSF), the field Engineering Services Unit (NAESU), and the engineering and maintenance support services of the Naval Air Engineering Integrated Support Office (EISO) (3).

Maintenance in the 1970s

In 1970, the Naval Air Reserve Program became a major claimant and type commander. Chief of Naval Reserve Training (CNARESTRA) was pulled from underneath Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) and put directly under the CNO. It was then called Chief of Naval Reserve (CNAVRES) and located in New Orleans, Louisiana (42).

The Carrier Aircraft Maintenance Support Improvement (CAMSI) Project was established by CNO Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. in August 1970 and assigned to NAVAIR, making logistics support for the Air Wing a whole approach, which had not been previously carried out (3).

The Versatile Avionics Shop Test (VAST) System was developed to provide a general purpose, computer controlled, intermediate/depot level testing capability to accommodate test requirements of state-of-the-art, high density avionics equipment introduced into the fleet. VAST test and evaluation commenced at sea and shore locations in late 1972 (3).

In 1970, the first AMDO Newsletter was issued. Rear Admiral T. J. Walker wrote the first message from the Commander and introduced key personnel, AMDO functions, career milestones, growth projections and approved billets among other items of note. Additionally, Admiral Zumwalt announced the approved list of 458 Fleet Aviation Maintenance billets to be converted to the AMDO billet identifier, 1520 (2).

The Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) OPNAVINST 4790.2 came into effect in January 1971. The major type commanders, systems command, and CNO representatives concluded that NAVAIRINST 4700.2, the 3-M Manual, and other relevant instructions should be consolidated into a single, comprehensive document. The task of NAMP creation was given to NAVAIR, and applicable chapters of the 4700.2 were sent out to various divisions within NAVAIR for updates (4).

From 1970 to 1971, the Shipboard Aviation and Maintenance and Support Facilities Improvement Program (SAMSF) spent time surveying carriers and amphibious warfare ships to address the lack of Air Wing maintenance space. The original space was allocated for 5,400 square feet but the requirement had grown to 10,000 square feet. Following carriers remained consistent with the 10,000 square feet requirement (33).

The AED/AMD Newsletter of August 1971 announced that the AMD Emblem was being created (5).

The Joint Aviation Supply/Maintenance Material Management (JASMMM) Course started at Naval Supply School in Athens, Georgia in April 1972. Its purpose and mission was to provide education to ensure effective material support of an aviation activity and its ultimate success was dependent upon the collective efforts of both maintenance and supply personnel. The current course is two weeks long and convenes 12 times a year (13).

The Naval Air Mediterranean Repair Activity (NAMRA) was established July 1, 1972 as a detachment of NAVAIR Representative, Atlantic Fleet. NAMRA’s mission is to provide effective material support for Navy aircraft in the European area. The program includes standard rework on designated aircraft and special rework on all models and types of aircraft shore-based and on ships deployed in the European area (6).

Naval Aviation Analytical Maintenance Program (AMP) was created in mid-1972 to begin accurate data collection with the aim of predicting maintenance requirements. The AMP was derived from the civilian airlines maintenance environment and proved to be economically justifiable with adequate safety margins. The RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) philosophy and engineering decision logic were the principle contributions (13).

In March 1973, the Naval Aviation Executive Institute (NAEI) was established to offer top level managers an opportunity to broaden their views of the interrelationships between their management milieu and the fast changing political, socio-economic and scientific environment (7).

The November 1975 edition of the AED/AMD Newsletter announced the Naval Recruiting Command’s recent production of a recruiting film depicting the life of an AMDO for use in recruiting and indoctrination on the AMDO program. Limited copies were made and were available the various Staffs (11).

Maintenance Information Automated Retrieval System (MIARS) was introduced to the squadrons and AIMDs to update the way publications were stored and used. MIARS converted paper technical manuals to microfilm, which improved manual reproduction, storage and distribution (9).

Pacific Missile Test Center (PMTC) was created on June 30, 1975 by consolidating the Pacific Missile Range (PMR) and the Naval Missile Center (NMC) at Point Mugu, California. The PMTC’s mission is to perform development test and evaluation, development support, and follow-on engineering, logistics, and training support for naval weapons, weapon systems, and related devices; and to provide major range, technical, and base support for fleet users and other Department of Defense and government agencies. PMTC had its beginnings in 1946 when commissioned as the Naval Air Missile Test Center in Point Mugu (11).

The Navy initiated the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System (NALCOMIS). Its initial efforts were directed toward aircraft maintenance (organizational and intermediate), supply and financial management, and squadron command and management functions as they relate directly to personnel. History of naval warfare has proven that the decision maker with the greatest amount of accurate information has a competitive edge in making the best decision (11). Vice CNO Admiral Harold E. Shear identified NALCOMIS as a project in 1976 (12). Captain Dowd was assigned to NAVAIR to keep NALCOMIS program rolling to completion. NALCOMIS gained program status as Program Manager Air (PMA)-270 in 1977 (24).

OPNAVNOTE 5450 of Sep. 7, 1979 formally established the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Support Office (AIMSO) effective Oct. 1, 1979 in a development status. Its predecessor, Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Improvement (AIMI) was created in December 1978 out of study that indicated that $100-200 million could be saved by improving intermediate level operations. AIMSO was envisioned to provide centralized coordination of the actions and decisions which impact the operation of approximately 90 activities performing the preponderance of aviation I-level maintenance (14).

In the mid-1970s, a memo for consideration was written concerning AMDO participation in the Weapon System Acquisition Management (WSAM) Program (45).

A memo for JAG was submitted to consider legality of 1510/1520 officers to become 1500 at Flag level and eligibility to sit on both 1510 and 1520 Captain selection boards (45).

Crewmen of USS AMERICA (CV66) were the first to see the Navy’s newest strike fighter as the F/A-18A HORNET 160777 (CUM A003) began sea trials. Its first landing at sea occurred on Oct. 30, 1979, some 90 minutes before sunset. (14, 66)

The AED/AMD Newsletter May 1975 edition provided information about Aeronautical Engine Laboratory’s (AEL) History. Naval Air Propulsion Test Center (NAPTC) in Trenton, New Jersey was the Navy’s one facility that was able to environmentally test any engine in the Navy/Marine Corps inventory. In addition to engines, the center tests auxiliary power units, starters and accessories, helicopter transmission, and fuels and lubricants. The history of Navy aircraft propulsion testing dates back to July 1915 when the Bureau of Steam Engineering was directed to “fit up a building at the Washington Navy Yard for testing of aeroplane machinery.” This created the Aeronautical Motor Testing Laboratory and the first engine test was started in March 1916. In 1924, the Aeronautical Motor Testing Laboratory moved to the Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia Naval Base and changed the name to AEL (10).

Maintenance in the 1980s

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Program Standardization for Carrier Environment began. Toward the end of the 1970s, NAVAIR thoroughly assessed the experience of the previous decade of ATE support, with emphasis on Versatile Avionics Shop (VAST), to determine an ATE program for the 1980s and beyond. VAST’s limitations were being realized with emerging weapon system requirements. Short-range plans were to create and apply a family of Common ATE, with a long range plan of developing a Consolidated Support System (CSS). The family of testers included ASM608 IMUTS, USM458 NEWTS, USN429 CAT IIID, and AAM60 EOSTS (15 & 25).

The March 1980 AED/AMD Newsletter stated there was a letter written from Commander, NAVAIRSYSCOM to CNO Admiral Thomas B. Hayward concerning the development of a career path to Flag rank for AMD (1520) Officers (14).

Captain Derr of OP-592 drafted a memorandum in March 1981 discussing officer competitive categories for promotion. This memo recommended that 1510 and 1520 communities remain separate through the rank of Commander (48). In December 1981, the U.S. Senate Bill S. 1918, Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) was signed into law enabling the approval of 1510 and 1520 to compete separately for Captain and compete together for Flag rank. (16)

The fiscal year (FY) 83 Post Graduate School Selection Board results designated 25 officers “in the bank” for three years, making them eligible to go to Monterey, California or the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. Courses in management areas of logistics, acquisition, maintenance, financial and facilities opened up for AMDOs in the Advanced Education Program (18).

The NAVSTAR GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) program started with designs to have satellites in place by 1985 to replace current Navigation systems. NAVSTAR GPS is a space based radio position and navigation system that provides extremely accurate three-dimensional position data, velocity information and system time to suitably equipped users anywhere on or near the earth. NAVSTAR GPS is a Joint project for the Department of Defense and is designed to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces (16).

Maintenance in the 1990s

In February 1990, a formal letter was submitted with a TAR AMDO development plan, which consisted of a TAR AMD Professional Development Plan and a TAR AMD Career Pattern Plan. The plan was quickly approved and on April 16, 1990, CNO Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda approved the establishment of the TAR AMDO community with 46 officers selected in the selection boards held in August 1990 and January 1991 (42).

The initial Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) stations were ordered in 1990 and five versions of the CASS entered the fleet in 1994. The last of the 613 production mainframe CASS stations entered fleet on board USS Vinson in December 2003. Modernization efforts (eCASS) began development in 2009 and production was to begin in 2014 for fielding in 2015 (35).

Mack Prose, Bill Oatway, and Marty Reagan, among others, generated a letter to Vice Admiral Dunleavy, then Deputy CNO Air Warfare, telling him of the proposed “Captain Virg Lemmon Award for Naval Aviation Maintenance Excellence”. Award and criteria was determined in mid-1990 for the annual awardee (25).

In early 1993, Acquisition Qualification Designation (AQD) codes (IL-1 thru IL-5) started being awarded to AMDOs. AQD codes has been implemented to allow the system to better track and manage AMDOs as they progress up the ladder of success. IL-l (Integrated Logistics Maintenance), IL-2 (Integrated Logistics Advanced), IL-3 (Integrated Logistics Support), IL-4 (Integrated Logistics Depot) and IL-5 (Integrated Logistics Major AIMD) (19).

AIR-534 and AIR-552 had a staff of more than 75 Support Equipment Project Officers (SEPOs), Commodity Managers, and Program Specialists who designed, managed, and procured support solutions. The full range of procurement was worked in Air-552. An assignment to Support Equipment guaranteed you the opportunity to be an active participant in all aspects of the acquisition process. In June 1993, the remaining 13 AIR-552 personnel joined the CASS program office forming PMA-260 (21).

Captain Sharon Gurke became the first female AMDO captain in 1993. She was an 1100 designator and in 1976 when the restricted line opened up for females she was the first woman selected to 1520. She held positions as AIMD Division Officer, AIMD Officer, NAESU OIC, NALCOMIS Assistant Program Manager for Logistics (APML), Operations Officer at Naval Aviation Depot (NADEP) North Island, XO/CO at NADEP Pensacola and two tours at the Pentagon (53).

The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act was fully implemented on Oct. 1, 1993. Under the new program, URL Maintenance Programmers (MP) reverted to their previous warfare designator and 1524 changed back to 1520. The Acquisition Professional Community was staffed with officers who would be selected by a selection board and identified by AQD codes (20).

The future Carrier Air Wings composition changed to allow for op-tempo and support of 11 Air Wings. This change required the number of aircraft on the decks to be reduced to achieve the cost savings needed to maintain the required number of air wings and a robust modernization program.

The plan transitioned all air wings to a 50 strike fighter composition: 36 Hornets (3 squadrons of 12) and 14 upgraded Tomcats (1 squadron) along with E-2s, EA-6Bs, H-60s and S-3s (20).

In December 1993, our first "grow your own" AMDO, Captain Wayne Smith (YG 68) was selected for promotion to Rear Admiral (20).

Ever-tightening budgets led to the concept of consolidating industrial operations around "centers of excellence," integrating levels/types of maintenance and developing standard business practices. The first phase was developed in the Norfolk region for standup in fiscal year 1995 (20).

Women at Sea schedule and manning per CVN was announced. In FY94: Woman at sea will start on Eisenhower, Lincoln and Stennis pre-commission and in FY95, Nimitz and Roosevelt. The manning for females per CVN will be 402 enlisted, 60 CPO, and 40 Officers. The first officer orders on the street for women reporting to Eisenhower and Lincoln were 1520s; Lieutenants Ellen Moore and Carolyn Snyder (21).

1995 is the first FY that PMAs have direct control of a segment of Operations and Maintenance, Navy (O&M/N) dollars to fully support “cradle to grave” program management (21).

The Program Review 95 (PR-95) focused on four strategies: reduction in forces whose primary mission was designed for the Cold War; acceleration of the retirement of forces slated for stand-down over the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP); reduction of fixed overhead, i.e. infrastructure with the goal to close an additional 15 percent of shore facilities by end of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 95; and to further identifying older, more expensive-to­ maintain, or single mission platforms for elimination in favor of newer, easier-to­ maintain, multi-mission platforms (20).

On Dec. 7, 1994, NALCOMIS marked a new era in naval aviation, when Milestone III approval to fully deploy NALCOMIS Organization Maintenance Activity (OMA) was granted by Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (OSD). NALCOMIS was developed and quickly achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in less than three years. As of March 1995, 90 squadrons were operating with NALCOMIS OMA. By the end of FY95, 145 squadrons had OMA, with all squadrons complete in 1997 (22).

Naval Aviation Maintenance Program Standard Operating Procedures (NAMPSOPs) replaced local Maintenance Instructions (MI). NAMPSOPs provided standardized procedures for management of programs, in sufficient detail, to allow NAMPSOP to become a stand-alone procedure document, replacing all lower level supplemental instructions and MI's. When completed, the NAMPSOP replaced the 24 maintenance instructions required by the NAMP with a generic version suitable for all naval aviation. Local MIs for these topics then ceased to exist. Commands added an appendix to explain any truly unique requirements, but this was meant to be rare. The plan called to implement the first five programs to coincide with the effective date of the 4790.2F on June 1, 1995: Fuel Surveillance, Oil Analysis, Aviators Breathing Oxygen Surveillance, Hydraulic Contamination, and Tire and Wheel Maintenance. The next NAMP was issued on CD-ROM and the word search power of the computer enabled the next generation of sailors to never have to suffer with that incomprehensible index (22).

NAVAIR’s move to Patuxent River, Maryland in 1997 was announced in the Spring of 1995 (22).

Rear Admiral Michael Bachmann became AMDOs’ first ACAT 1 Program Manager when assuming command of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Naval Tactical Command Support System ACAT 1 program office in November 1995 (51 & 54).

In 1996, Commander Ruth A. Forrest became the first female to hold the post of AIMD Officer. She was the AIMDO from 1996 to 1999 aboard USS John F. Kennedy CVN-67 (55).

On March 1, 1998, Captain Frank Smith became the first African-American AMDO Captain. Captain Smith’s tours included many firsts; JASMMM Division Head in 1988, AIMDO on CV-62 USS John F. Kennedy from July 1992 through July 1994, first Level III Acquisition Professional, first Pentagon Office of CNO/OPNAV Resource Sponsor and Head of Aviation Technical Training and first Major Shore Command CO (NAMTRAGRU Headquarters and Units/detachments) (51).

AMDO Community's 30th Anniversary-Symposium was held June 25-26, 1998. The theme for the professional symposium was "Maintaining in the Next Millennium" and focused on maintenance initiatives and programs for the 21st century that were key for aviation support (24).

Lieutenant Commander Ellen Moore became the first female AMDO CAGMO for CVW-17 from 1998 to 2000 (64).

Maintenance in the 2000s

On Oct. 8, 2002, Commander in Charge Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) favorably endorsed a request to OPNAV to redesignate seven AIMDs from OICs to Commanding Officers. Most of the AIMDs were realigned to come under a Type Wing and not the Naval Air Station. The designation was changed to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment and not departments; as such the AIMD MOs were then OICs. AIMD Oceana fell under Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic (CFWL) and worked for Commander Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic (CSFWL) in 2004. Other changes included the emphasis on performance metrics, NAVRIIP (Naval Aviation Readiness Integrated Improvement Program), BOG (Boots on the Ground) and concepts like Lean Maintenance (29).

Lieutenant Commander Brian Jacobs was the first African American to be selected as a Carrier Air Group Maintenance Officer (CAGMO), serving as CVW-17 CAGMO from Nov 2002 to Oct 2004 (61).

Enterprise AIRSpeed started in December 2003. The approach agreed upon was to use Lean and Six Sigma with Theory of Constraints (TOC) as the overarching architecture to find cost savings for recapitalization. This also changed the fundamental ways AIMDs had done business for decades (34).

Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific (CNAP) and Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic (CNAL) N42 staffs merged to become COMNAVAIRFOR N42, with CNAP managing Aviation Maintenance Management Inspection Teams, NAMP oversight, O & I level maintenance process development (NAVRIIP & AIRSpeed), training and analysis; and CNAL managing readiness and Aircraft Material & Engineering (30).

The Winter 2004-2005 Newsletter announced that the Commanding Officer Fleet Air Forces Mediterranean (COMFAIRMED) aviation maintenance support staff (N42) had been disestablished (30).

CNO Admiral Vernon E. Clark Washington DC 150005Z APR 05 announced the NAMP (OPNAVINST 4790.2J of FEB 05) is now COMNAVAIRFORINST 4790.2 of Feb 05. Paper and CD-ROM versions of the NAMP would no longer be distributed. COMNAVAIRFORINST 4790.2 can be downloaded only through logistics.navair.navy.mil/4790/ (31).

May 1, 2005 saw the end of Augmentation Boards; all initial commissions became regular. By May 1, 2006, all reserve commissioned officers on the Active Duty List (ADL) transitioned to regular officer status, provided they met requirements (31).

The Summer 2005 Newsletter announced a community first – AMDO Rear Admiral Mike Bachmann was serving as NAVAIR’s Vice Commander (31).

Numerous regional realignments occurred in Europe: AIMD Keflavik, Iceland closed in June 2004, Navy Calibration Lab Sigonella, Sicily closed in June 2005. The Naval Aviation Technical Engineering Center closed its operations in Sigonella and Rota, and Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Unit (AIMU) Detachment Rota, Spain disestablished in September 2005. The Naval Air Mediterranean Repair Activity (NAMRA) relocation proposal was approved and relocating NAMRA in Sigonella, Sicily (30).

Nov. 18, 2005 saw the formal opening of AIMD Complex at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk (32).

Rear Admiral Mike Hardee (’77) announced tasking to develop plans for new Fleet Readiness Centers (FRCs) as required by BRAC 2005. The initial six FRCs were officially established in 2006 (32 & 40). FRCs were to be integral elements of a single enterprise representing the continuation of AIRSpeed principles at the enterprise level (32). In 2006, The Office of the Secretary of Defense gave the approval of the FRC business plan and the official transition of Naval Aviation Depots and continental United States (CONUS) AIMDs into FRCs began in October (34). FRC Mid-Atlantic stood up at NAS Oceana during a ceremony on October 16. FRC Mid-Atlantic was the second of six FRCs to be stood up, and the first on the east coast. FRC Southeast stood up October 20; FRC West on October 27; FRC East on October 30; (50) and FRC Northwest on Oct. 10, 2008 (65).

Rear Admiral Mike Bachmann was selected for Rear Admiral Upper Half and became the community’s first Systems Commander when he assumed command of SPAWAR in February 2006 (50).

Feb. 24, 2006, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced that the President nominated Navy Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann for appointment to the rank of rear admiral. RADM Bachmann was pinned on Aug. 23, 2006 and made history by becoming the first two-star AMDO (50).

March 23, 2006, USS George Washington AIMD hosted COMNAVAIRSYSCOM for the first ever Boots on Deck event. CVN-73 stood-up a functional AIRSpeed division as a prototype for CVN AIRSpeed (33).

The Summer 2006 edition of the AMDO Newsletter announced that the Aviation Maintenance Officer Personnel Qualification Standard (PQS), NAVEDTRA 43438, has been approved for use. The PQS is designed to provide the required training and experience associated with the jobs and functions performed by officers serving in paygrade CWO2 through CWO4 and O1 through O4 in designators 1520, 6330, 7341 and 7381 (33).

On Oct. 10, 2006 the Commander, Fleet Readiness Center (COMFRC) and Commanding Officer, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) held a dual stand-up ceremony at Commander, Naval Air Force Headquarters at Naval Base Coronado (NBC), a historic day when Rear Admiral Hardee became the first Commander of COMFRC (51).

The Winter 2007-2008 edition of the AMDO Newsletter announced that the Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer Mentoring Program had been signed out several months ago. This is another step to ensure all members of the AMDO community had the opportunity to succeed and achieve personnel and professional goals through enhanced awareness and information (36). Rear Admiral Bachmann signed the original AMDO Mentorship Program Memorandum on Aug. 10, 2007 (52).

2008 marked the AMDO Community's 40th Anniversary. The professional AMDO Conference/ Symposium was held on October 1-2 (36).

On Nov. 13, 2008, our Warfare insignia was approved by the Navy Uniform Board and moved on to CNO Admiral Gary Roughead for final approval (37 & 38). NAVADMIN 051/09 dated February 2009 announced the official approval (50).

The PAMO insignia had been many years in the making for our PAMO Warfare Program with its roots going back to the early 1980s; it was resurrected in 1992, but again no Flag sponsorship. Community managers and detailers through the years had briefed and advocated for the PAMO program, and through frustration and perseverance it passed through the hurdles. On Dec. 5, 2009 Rear Admiral Bachmann received the first PAMO insignia and was pinned by Vice Admiral Kilcline (39).

Early 2009, the most senior AMDOs recommended and received Flag approval of the charter for an AMDO Executive Steering Group (ESG). The purpose of the ESG was ‘given the nature of the transformations occurring within the NAE, the AMDO ESG will be positioned to provide quick, reliable guidance on matters impacting the community as it relates to career progression, professional development, education and promotion criteria’. Trending issues affecting all AMDOs would be reviewed by the ESG with results communicated to all (39).

The Reconfigurable Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System (RTCASS) saw the first avionics unit request for information in June 2009 at MALS-14. The RTCASS concept began in 1987 when it was acknowledged that the Marine Corps needed a down-sized test set. The main objectives for the RTCASS program were TPS transportability, common logistics with mainframe CASS, unique packaging allowing man-transportable while minimizing footprint and test capability (38).

Boots on the Ground or Boots on the Deck site visits began informally in 1999 by then Rear Admiral Massenburg. As NAVAIR’s Assistant Commander for Industrial Operations, he wanted to get a first-hand look at the logistics issues affecting our Sailors and Marines. As of the summer of 2009, nearly 50 sites have hosted a Boots event (38).

Maintenance in the 2010s

June 5, 2010 marked the 70th year of SPAWAR System Center Pacific existence. At SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific and Atlantic, engineers and scientists are fielding classified initiatives that are of national importance. Their work has been recognized by from the White House to OSD to the Department of Homeland Security (40).

January 2011 began the year-long celebration marking the Centennial of Naval Aviation. Various events were conducted throughout the year to recognize the contributions to naval aviation through the years (49).

May 11, 2011 the Flag announcement stated that Captain CJ Jaynes was nominated for appointment to rank of rear admiral. Then Captain Jaynes had the honor of being our first female AMDO Flag officer. At the time, Jaynes was serving as major program manager for Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Programs, PMA-213, Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs (50).

May 13, 2011 the Captain’s List announced the selection of the first Puerto Rican AMDO Captain J.R. Rodriguez (50).

The Summer 2011 edition of the AMDO Newsletter announced that Rear Admiral Tim Matthews signed out the new AMDO Mentoring Instruction. The changes to the instruction made it easier to establish the mentor-protégé relationship and gave more flexibility in maintaining these relationships. Lead mentors were to be assigned by geographic region and there was an assurance that all officers in their “AOR” would have the opportunity to link up with a mentor (41).

The final deployment of USS Enterprise started in 2011 and her Deactivation ceremony was held in December 2012 at Norfolk Naval Station. USS Enterprise had been in service from 1961 to 2012 (43).

In July 2013, Rear Admiral CJ Jaynes became the first AMDO Program Executive Officer, upon assuming command of the Program Executive Office for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Missions Programs (PEO (A)) (50).

On Oct. 1, 2013, Commander Eric Washington was promoted to Captain, making him the first African-American Full Time Support (FTS) AMDO Captain (50).

On April 14, 2015, the Captain’s List announced the selection of the first Canadian AMDO Captain Grant “Flash” Gorton (63).

FLAG OFFICER LIST

RDML DONALD EATON

RDML WAYNE SMITH

RDML STEVE HEILMAN

RADM MICHAEL BACHMANN

RDML MICHAEL HARDEE

RDML TIMOTHY MATTHEWS

RDML CJ JAYNES

RDML (s) MICHAEL ZARKOWSKI

BIOGRAPHIES

Rear Admiral Don R. Eaton

Retired

RDML Eaton was born in the Bronx, N.Y. and entered the Navy in 1957 as a Naval Aviation Cadet in Pensacola, Florida. In 1959, upon graduation from flight school at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, as the first NAVCAD Naval Flight Officer, he flew as a Heavy Attack Bombardier/Navigator in A3D-2 aircraft in VAH-3, VAH-7, and VAH-13. In June 1963, he transitioned to the A-6 airplane as a Bombardier/Navigator and deployed to Vietnam in May 1965. During this tour he flew 66 combat missions and on 14 July 1965, he and his pilot, RADM Donald V. Boecker, were shot down near Sam Neua, Laos. After successfully evading enemy troops for a night and a day, they were rescued by Captain Sam Jordan flying an Air America H-34 helicopter.

In February, 1966, he was assigned to VA-42 as an A-6 flight instructor until his assignment to the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science in 1969. In February 1970, after assignment at the Naval Air Rework Facility in Norfolk, Va., flying production test, he returned to A-6 instructor duties in VA-42. Later he transferred to VA-85 as the maintenance officer for the first deployment of the A-6E. In August 1973, he joined USS America (CVA-66) as an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer and served as the Assistant AIMD Officer and later as the AIMD department head. While aboard America, he completed a cruise to the Mediterranean and participated in Northern Merger, a NATO exercise. From October 1975 until June 1978, he served as the AIMD Officer at NAS Norfolk.

After a tour at the Naval Military Personnel Command as the Aerospace Maintenance Duty Assignment Officer, he was enrolled as a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. While there, he studied at George Washington University and earned a Master of Science in Administration.

From August 1980 to June 1983, he was assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command as the Director for Support Systems, Director for Logistics and Maintenance Policy and Executive Director. In July 1983, he took command of the Naval Plant Representative Office at General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts, and helped introduce the T-700 and F-404 engines. In June 1985, he commanded the Naval Air Engineering Center in Lakehurst, New Jersey and brought the low pressure steam catapult to maturity for use on the Navy's newest aircraft carriers. From March 1987 until June 1989, he was the Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Engineering and Systems. From June 1989 until March 1990 he served in his first Flag assignment as the Program Director for Space and Sensor Systems in the Space and Warfare Systems Command. From March 1990 until December 1993, he served as the Deputy Assistant Commander for Aviation Depots and Assistant Commander for Logistics and Fleet Support in the Naval Air Systems Command. In this capacity he had twelve commands including six Naval Aviation Depots comprising 22,500 personnel and an annual operating budget of $2.2B.

While serving at the Naval Postgraduate School he was assigned to the Space Shuttle Independent Assessment Team in the fall of 1999 whose focus was to improve quality assurance, maintenance practices and safely of the Space Shuttle Program.

His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, four Legions of Merit, the Purple Heart, five Air Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals (three with Combat Distinguishing Device), the Combat Action Ribbon, and various campaign medals.

After retiring from active duty on 1 January1994, he was recruited to join the faculty of the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy as a Senior Lecturer. He served in that capacity from March 1994 and served as a Senior Lecturer, Logistics Chair and Academic Associate for Logistics until 2009. During his career at the Naval Postgraduate School he played a significant role in creating the MBA program for Logistics. He created the capstone MBA Logistics course “Strategic Planning and Policy for Logistics Managers”. He also was a thesis advisor to more than 200 students including many NATO countries and former Soviet Bloc Nations as well. In honor of his service to the Postgraduate School and the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy a graduation award has been named and presented in his honor. At each quarterly graduation ceremony, the outstanding Logistics Student is presented the “Rear Admiral Donald Eaton Award”.

RDML Eaton retired from the Navy on 1 January 1994 after serving for more than 36 years (56).

Rear Admiral Robert W. “WAYNE” Smith

Retired/Deceased

Wayne Smith is a native of Tenaha, Texas and a 1967 graduate of Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. He was commissioned in April 1968 and in August completed Aircraft Maintenance Officer’s School in Memphis, Tennessee. He earned his Masters of Business Administration (Industrial Management) in 1978 from George Washington University.

In the fleet, he was IM-2 aboard Forrestal, CVW-1CAGMO aboard Kennedy and Eisenhower, and AIMDO aboard Kennedy. Ashore he served in AIMD Norfolk, VF-101 and Fighter Wing One.

In Washington, D.C., he served in NAVAIR as AIR-417 and as the AED/AMD Community Manager and Captain Detailer. In June 1990, RDML Smith assumed command of NADEP Alameda. His current assignment is in NAVAIR as the Assistant Commander for Logistics and Fleet Support (Air-04).

His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy Commendation Medal (19).

Rear Admiral Steve Heilman

Retired

RDML Heilman was born in Defiance, Ohio, and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He joined the Navy in 1969 after earning his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Drake University. He reported to Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida in April, 1970, and was commissioned #1 in his Class on 24 July, 1970. Following 16 weeks of additional training at the Aviation Maintenance Officers' School, NATTC Memphis, Tennessee, RDML Heilman reported to Patrol Squadron FIFTY-SIX, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where he participated in the fleet introduction of the P-3C aircraft. After a squadron change of home port from Patuxent River to NAS Jacksonville, Florida, RDML Heilman accompanied VP-56 on deployments to NS Keflavik, Iceland, NAS Bermuda and NAF Lajes, Azores.

In May, 1974, RDML Heilman was transferred to Training Squadron TWENTY-EIGHT, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas where he managed the maintenance support effort for 47 TS-2A aircraft. From July, 1977 to September, 1979, RDML Heilman was assigned to Attack Squadron FIFTY-TWO, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. He made two WESTPAC deployments with VA-52, embarked both times in USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). In October, 1979, RDML Heilman received orders to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Washington, D.C. He served as the first Assistant Program Manager (Logistics) for the Navy's new Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) Automatic Test Equipment. In December, 1982, RDML Heilman transferred to USS Ranger (CV-61) in San Diego, California as the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) Production Officer. Eighteen months later he was selected for promotion into the CV-61 AIMD Officer Department Head billet. RDML Heilman made his third WESTPAC deployment with Ranger, and took his AIMD through a Complex Overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton Washington. During his 42-month tour with the ship, Ranger's AIMD was awarded two consecutive COMNAVAIRPAC Black "E" Battle Efficiency Awards. In July, 1986, RDML Heilman reported to the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C. for graduate-level training in Joint and Combined logistics operations and industrial mobilization planning. After graduation, he returned to NAVAIR to serve as Deputy Director of the Support Equipment Engineering Division. In November, 1988, RDML Heilman was nominated to be the Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO) Detailer in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, a position he held until October, 1990.

On 15 October 1990 RDML Heilman returned for his third tour in NAVAIR, this time as the Deputy Director, Aviation Depot Business Planning Division (AIR-431). He left AIR-43 in April, 1992 moving up to serve as NAVAIR's Executive Director for Logistics and Fleet Support (AIR-04B). During this period, RDML Heilman was selected for a major command assignment. He received orders to the Naval Aviation Depot, Alameda, California in December, 1992 to serve as Executive Officer. RDML Heilman became Commanding Officer of NADEP Alameda in July, 1994. In 1995, NADEP Alameda was presented with the President's Federal Quality Award for Leadership and Management Excellence. RDML Heilman detached from NADEP Alameda in January, 1996 and reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Head of Naval Aviation Maintenance Programs and Policy (N881), a position he held until October, 1997.

In October, 1997 he left the CNO Staff to return, once again, to the Naval Air Systems Command where he currently serves as the Executive Director for Aviation Industrial Operations.

RDML Heilman wears the Legion of Merit Award, the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy Commendation Medal and various unit awards and campaign ribbons (57).

Rear Admiral Michael C. Bachmann

Retired

Rear Adm. Bachmann’s last assignment was as Commander of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), headquartered in San Diego, Calif., where he was responsible for providing information technology and space systems for naval and joint services.

Bachmann graduated in June 1974 from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. Bachmann subsequently attained a Master of Science degree in Systems Management and a doctoral degree in Psychology and Technology from the University of Southern California during off duty hours. A graduate of the Naval War College, he was additionally awarded a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Bachmann has acquired extensive acquisition experience through a wide variety of afloat, shore-based and joint duty assignments. He has completed ship's company sea duty assignments aboard USS Ranger (CV-61), USS New Orleans (LPH-11), and USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and fleet assignments at Naval Air Station North Island and the Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific staff.

In 1990, Bachmann was assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as the Deputy Director for Aviation Logistics Information Systems. He was subsequently assigned to the Joint Logistics Systems Center, WPAFB Ohio, as a DoD Major Program Manager (ACAT I).

On Dec. 7, 1993, Bachmann was assigned as the Director of the Joint Depot Maintenance Analysis Group under the direction of the Joint Logistics Commanders and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

Bachmann assumed command of the SPAWAR Naval Tactical Command Support System (NTCSS) on Nov. 17, 1995. NTCSS, a DoD ACAT I program, was selected into the Secretary of the Navy Acquisition Hall of Fame in April 1998, nominated for the OSD Packard Award, and awarded the OSD Certificate for Acquisition Excellence. During this period Bachmann was assigned as the Acting Director of Information Support Systems (SPAWAR PD 15) and was responsible for the oversight of a multitude of information technology acquisition programs.

From August 1998 through June 2000 Bachmann was assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations, Air Warfare Division, as the Head, Aviation Maintenance Programs responsible for the execution of accounts in excess of $18 billion for the advancement of Naval Aviation.

Upon selection to Rear Admiral in 2001, Bachmann was assigned as Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division with additional responsibilities as NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation, and Shore Station Management. In February 2003 he was assigned as the NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations. Bachmann was selected to be the NAVAIR Vice Commander in March 2005.

His personal awards and decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (Sixth Award), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, and Navy Commendation Medal with Gold star. (54)

Rear Admiral Michael D. Hardee

Retired

Rear Admiral Michael Hardee assumed his duties as Commander, Naval Air Forces’ Commander of Fleet Readiness Centers in October 2006 and NAVAIR’s Assistant Commander for Logistics & Industrial Operations in September 2007. Prior to that, he served as NAVAIR’s Commander of Aviation Depots in 2005.

Graduating from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, he received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1977 and after attending flight training, was designated a Naval Flight Officer and received his wings in 1978.

Rear Adm. Hardee acquired extensive operational and acquisition experience through a wide variety of afloat and shore-based assignments. He has completed ship’s company sea duty assignments onboard USS Shreveport (LPD 12) earning his Surface Warfare Designation in 1982, USS Ranger (CV 61), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Fleet assignments at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Air Station Miramar, and Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific Staff.

Following graduation with a Masters in the Material Logistics curriculum from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1988, he was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2, where he served as Air Wing Aircraft Maintenance Officer, completing two Western Pacific deployments aboard  Ranger, including a combat cruise during Operation Desert Storm.

Upon completion of the Program Management Course at Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va., Rear Adm. Hardee was assigned to Naval Air Systems Command. He assumed his duties in Aviation Support Equipment, PMA-260 in 1992, where he served as the Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineering for Consolidated Automated Support Systems Automated Test Equipment (USM-636 CASS). During this tour, he successfully completed PMA-260’s (Aviation Support Equipment) Operational Evaluation in preparation for initial production of CASS.

In 1995, he was assigned to Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet staff as the Aircraft Maintenance Plans and Policy Officer, implementing over 100 changes to the OPNAVINST. 4790, the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program and continued research in Human Factors in aircraft maintenance with the Naval Postgraduate School.

Assigned again to PMA 260 in 1999 as principal deputy program manager for Aviation Support Equipment program office, he became a certified Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM II) practitioner, responsible for the physical asset management of the Navy’s common use Aviation Support Equipment. RDML Hardee and his RCM team won the Department of Defense Value Engineering Award in 2001 for their accomplishments in RCM.

Assuming command of DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft in November 2001, he was responsible for the contract management of and delivery of rotorcraft and rotorcraft products from five major programs to U.S. military departments and allied nations. During his tenure, DCMA’s flight activity won the agency’s Major Flight Operations Safety Award for 2002.

Assigned duties as the NAVAIR’s Enterprise AIRSpeed Project Officer and Chief of NAVRIIP Staff in 2003, he was responsible for the planning, introduction and implementation of Lean, Six Sigma and Theory of Constraints in Fleet aviation intermediate maintenance activities.

Rear Adm. Hardee’s personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals and an Army Commendation Medal. (58)

Rear Admiral Timothy S. Matthews

Retired

Rear Adm. Matthews is the director, Fleet Readiness Division. The Fleet Readiness Division is responsible for Planning and Programming, a $23 billion annual budget in support of operating and maintaining the Navy’s ships, aircraft, submarines, and expeditionary forces. The division also resources Training Ranges and the Readiness Reporting systems.

Matthews graduated from the University of Colorado in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. Commissioned in August 1982 through the Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla., Matthews was designated an aeronautical maintenance duty officer in 1983. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, where he received his master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering in1995. He was designated an Acquisition Professional Community member in 1998.

Matthews’ fleet operational tours include duty aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67); Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ 2) in Rota, Spain; Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ 132) in Whidbey Island, Wash.; Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW 14); and Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, Whidbey Island, Wash. During these assignments, he made multiple deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, Western Pacific, and Persian Gulf aboard Kennedy, USS Saratoga (CV 60), and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

Matthews' acquisition tours include Consolidated Automated Support Systems (CASS) Fleet Introduction leader at the Naval Air Systems Command, PMA-260. Beginning in September 2004, he served as director, Joint Depot Maintenance Activities Group, Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Selected for command of the Naval Air Depot Jacksonville in 2004, he reported as executive officer in 2005 and assumed command of the newly re-named Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in 2007. In August 2009, he reported as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers and NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations. In August 2011, he assumed his duties asDirector, Fleet Readiness Division.

Matthews’ awards include the Legion of Merit (2), Meritorious Service Medal (4), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), the Virgil Lemmon Award for Maintenance Excellence, and the Association of Old Crows’ Maintenance Award. (59)

Rear Admiral CJ Jaynes

Program Executive Officer for Air ASW,

Assault & Special Mission Programs, PEO(A)

Rear Admiral CJ Jaynes is serving as program executive officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs (PEO (A)). She has oversight responsibility for 10 program offices and seven ACAT I major acquisition programs.

Jaynes graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics Education, followed by a Master’s degree in Mathematics in 1982. She was commissioned in March 1983 via the Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and was designated an aeronautical engineering (maintenance) duty officer in 1985. She was designated an Acquisition Professional Community member in 1996 and received a Master’s in Business Administration from Norwich University in 2008.

Operational tours include Training Squadron 86 (VT-86) in Pensacola, Florida; Patrol Squadron 5 (VP-5) in Jacksonville, Florida; Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, Mayport, Florida; Commander Helicopter Wings Atlantic, Jacksonville, Florida; Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, Diego Garcia; and officer-in-charge Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment in Lemoore, California.

Jaynes’ acquisition tours include Naval Aviation Engineering Service Unit (NAESU) in Philadelphia; deputy assistant Program Manager Systems Engineering for PMA-290, P-3 & EP-3 Program Office; F/A-18 Program Integrator Defense Contract Management Command Northrop Grumman, El Segundo, California; Assistant Program Manager Logistics for PMA-265, F/A-18 & EA-18G Program Office; and PMA-265 F/A-18 Deputy Program Manager Fleet Support. 

She assumed command of PMA-202, Aircrew Systems in June 2006. Under her command, PMA-202 won the 2007 NAVAIR Commander’s National Award for Program Management. She assumed command of PMA-213, Naval Air Traffic Management Systems in 2007. In July 2011, she reported as NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations and in August 2012 became the Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers responsible for seven Fleet Readiness Centers engaged in aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for the Naval Aviation Enterprise.

Jaynes also completed the Naval War College Command and Staff (non-resident) program in 1995, and earned a Systems Engineering Certification from California Institute of Technology Industrial Relations Center in 1999.

Her awards include the Legion of Merit (three), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (four), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (with Service Star), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and numerous unit awards. She is authorized to wear the Professional Aviation Maintenance Officer Warfare insignia. (60)

Rear Admiral(s) Michael W. Zarkowski

Vice Commander of Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC)

Captain Zarkowski was commissioned in November 1987 through Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, and was designated an Aeronautical Maintenance Duty Officer in 1988. CAPT

Zarkowski attended the United States Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, where he received his Master of Science degree in Material Logistics Support Management in June 1998. He was designated an Acquisition Professional Community member in 1999.

His fleet operational tours include Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWENTY THREE (Screwtops); Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) onboard Naval Air Station Norfolk; Fighter Squadron THIRTY TWO (Swordsmen); Carrier Air Wing SEVENTEEN; USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75); Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic. During these assignments, he made multiple deployments to the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf in support of Operations DESERT STORM, ENDURING FREDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM onboard USS AMERICA (CV 66), USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69), USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) and USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75).

His acquisition tours include PMA-260; Aide to the Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (VADM John Lockard and VADM Joseph Dyer); Joint Strike Fighter Program Office; Commander, Naval Air Force, Atlantic Fleet. Captain Zarkowski was most recently the Commanding Officer of Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic. He is currently serving as Vice Commander of Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC) at Patuxent River, Maryland.

Captain Zarkowski earned his Professional Aviation Maintenance Officer Wings, and has been awarded the Legion of Merit (2 awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 awards), Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Battle Efficiency Award (Command Award) (2 awards), and the Thomas Hudner Leadership Award. (62)

ABBREVIATIONS

ACG Airborne Coordinating Group

ADL Active Duty List

ADP Automated Data Processing

AED Aviation Engineering Duty

AEDO Aviation Engineering Duty Officer

AEL Aeronautical Engine Laboratory

AFIT Air Force Institute of Technology

AIMD Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department

AIMI Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Improvement

AIMSO Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Support Office

AIMU Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Unit

AIR Naval Aviation Systems Command

AIRLANT Aviation Atlantic (Short for COMNAVAIRLANT)

AMD Aviation Maintenance Duty

AMDO Aviation Maintenance Duty Officer

AMMO Aviation Maintenance Management Officer

AMO Aviation Maintenance Officer

AMP Analytical Maintenance Program

AOCS Aviation Officer Candidate School

AQD Acquisition Qualification Designation

AS Aviation Support Equipment Maintenancemen

ATE Automated Test Equipment

AZ Aviation Administrationmen

BOG Boots on the Ground

BRAC Base Realignment and Closure

BUAER Bureau of Aeronautics

BUPERS Bureau of Personnel

CAG Carrier Air Group

CAMSI Carrier Aircraft Maintenance Support Improvement

CNAP Commander Naval Aviation- Pacific

CASD Carrier Aircraft Service Detachment

CASS Consolidated Automated Support System

CASU Carrier Aircraft Service Unit

CAT IIID Category 3 D

CD-ROM Compact Device- Random Access Memory

CFWL Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic

CINCPACFLT Commander In Charge Pacific Fleet

CNAVRES Chief of Naval Reserves

CO Commanding Officer

COMFAIRMED Commanding Officer Fleet Air Forces Mediterranean

COMNAVAIRFOR Commander Naval Air Forces (N42)

COMNAVAIRFORINST Commander Naval Air Forces Instruction

COMNAVAIRLANT Commander Naval Aviation- Atlantic

COMNAVAIRSYSCOM Commander Naval Aviation Systems Command

CONUS Continental United States

CNAL Commander Naval Aviation-Atlantic

CNAP Commander Naval Aviation-Pacific

CNO Chief of Naval Operations

CNARESTRA Chief of Naval Reserve Training

CSFWL Commander Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic

CSS Consolidated Support System

CVN Carrier Vessel-Nuclear

CVW Carrier Vessel Air Wing

DISTRO Distribution List

DCNO Deputy Chief of Naval Operations

DOD Department of Defense

DON Department of the Navy

DOPMA Defense Officer Personnel Management Act

EA Executive Assistant

eCASS CASS Modernization efforts

EISO Engineering Integrated Support Office

EOSTS Electro-optic Systems Test Set

ESG Executive Steering Group

FASRON Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron

FRC Fleet Readiness Center

FYDP Future Year’s Defense Budget

GPS Global Positioning System (NAVSTAR)

GSE Ground Support Equipment

HIR Handbook of Inspection Requirements

IMA Intermediate Maintenance A

IMUTS Inertial Measurement Unit Test Set

IOC Initial Operating Capability

JAG Judge Advocate General

JASMMM Joint Aviation Supply/Maintenance Material Management

L-Class Amphibious Classified Ships

LKE NAVAIR at Lakehurst, NJ

LHA Amphibious Helicopter Attack

LPH Amphibious Assault Ship

MEMO Memorandum

MI Maintenance Instructions

MIARS Maintenance Information Automated Retrieval System

MIS Management Information System

MMCO Maintenance Material Control Officer

MO Maintenance Officer

MP Maintenance Programmer

MRC Maintenance Requirement Card

MTA Maintenance Technical Advisory

NAE Naval Aviation Enterprise

NAEI Naval Aviation Executive Institute

NAESU Naval Aviation Engineering Service Unit

NAILSC Naval Aviation Integrated Logistics Support Center

NALCOMIS Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System

NAMO Naval Aviation Maintenance Office

NAMP Naval Aviation Maintenance Program

NAMPSOP Naval Aviation Maintenance Program Standard Operating Procedures

NAMRA Naval Aviation Mediterranean Repair Activity

NAPTC Naval Aviation Propulsion Center

NATSF Naval Air Technical Services Facility

NAVADMIN Naval Administrative Message

NAVEDTRA Naval Education and Training

NAVPER Naval Personnel (Short for Naval Bureau of Personnel)

NAVRIIP Naval Aviation Readiness Integrated Improvement Program

NAVSTA Naval Station

NAWCAD Naval Aviation Warfare Center- Aircraft Division

NEWTS Navy Electronic Warfare Test Set

NMC Naval Missile Center

OCS Officer Candidate School

OIC Officer In Charge

OMA Organizational Maintenance A

OPNAV Office of Personnel-Navy

OSD Office of State Department

PAMO Professional Aviation Maintenance Officer

PMA Program Management Activity

PMR Pacific Missile Range

PMTC Pacific Missile Test Center

PQS Performance Qualification Standard

RCM Reliability Centered Maintenance

RDML Rear Admiral (Lower Half)

RFI Ready For Issue

ROTC Reserve Officer’s Training Corps

RTCASS Reconfigurable Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System

SAMSF Shipboard Aviation & Maintenance & Support Facilities

SDO Special Duty Officer

SECNAV Secretary of the Navy

SEPO Support Equipment Project Officer

SPAWAR Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command

TAR Targeted Active Reserve/Training and Administrative Reserves

TPS Test Program Set

TOC Theory of Constraints

URL Unrestricted Line

USS United States Ship

VAST Versatile Avionics Shop

VIDS Visual Information Display System

WSAM Weapon System Acquisition Management

WESTPAC Western Pacific

NUMERICAL

3M Maintenance, Material Management

BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1) AMDO BUPERs MEMO 18 AUGUST 1967

(2) AMDO NEWSLETTER FIRST ISSUE, JULY 1970

(3) AMD NEWSLETTER JANUARY 1971

(4) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER MAY 1971

(5) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER AUGUST 1971

(6) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 1972

(7) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 1973

(8) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER MAY 1974

(9) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 1974

(10) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER MAY 1975

(11) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 1975

(12) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER JUNE 1977

(13) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER MAY 1978

(14) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER MARCH 1980

(15) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 1980

(16) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER APRIL 1981

(17) UNCLASSIFIED BRIEFING SHEET 3 APRIL 1981

(18) AED/AMD NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 1981

(19) AMDO NEWSLETTER #1 MARCH 1993

(20) AMDO NEWSLETTER #3 SPRING 1994

(21) AMDO NEWSLETTER #4 FALL 1994

(22) AMDO NEWSLETTER #5 SPRING 1995

(23) AMDO NEWSLETTER #8 WINTER-SPRING 1997

(24) AMDO NEWSLETTER #10 SPRING 1998

(25) AMDO NEWSLETTER #13 FALL-WINTER 1999-2000

(26) AMDO NEWSLETTER #14 SPRING 2000

(27) AMDO NEWSLETTER #16 SPRING-SUMMER 2001

(28) AMDO NEWSLETTER #17 FALL-WINTER 2001

(29) AMDO NEWSLETTER #19 FALL-WINTER 2002

(30) AMDO NEWSLETTER #23 WINTER 2004-2005

(31) AMDO NEWSLETTER #24 SUMMER 2005

(32) AMDO NEWSLETTER #25 WINTER 2005-2006

(33) AMDO NEWSLETTER #26 SUMMER 2006

(34) AMDO NEWSLETTER #27 WINTER 2006-2007

(35) AMDO NEWSLETTER #28 SUMMER 2007

(36) AMDO NEWSLETTER #29 WINTER 2007-2008

(37) AMDO NEWSLETTER #31 WINTER 2008-2009

(38) AMDO NEWSLETTER #32 SUMMER 2009

(39) AMDO NEWSLETTER #33 WINTER 2009-2010

(40) AMDO NEWSLETTER #34 SUMMER 2010

(41) AMDO NEWSLETTER #36 SUMMER 2011

(42) AMDO NEWSLETTER #37 WINTER 2011-2012

(43) AMDO NEWSLETTER #40 SUMMER 2013

(44) history

(45) BINDER OF LETTERS

(46) AMDO 3 PDF

(47) AMD NOTEBOOK

(48) The Right Thing for Naval Aviation, by CAPT Lemmon and CAPT Schroeder

(49)

(50) news

(51) Email input and news

(52) AMDO Mentorship Program Revision (20May2011).pdf

(53) Email Correspondence; 2 December, 2014

(54)

(55) LinkedIn page- Ruth A. Forrest

(56) RDML Eaton provided via email

(57)

(58)

(59)

(60)

(61) CAPT Jacobs information provided by email

(62)

(63) Email from CAPT(s) Gorton

(64) Email from CAPT Simon

(65)

(66) Date and aircraft provided by PEO(T) & VX-23 via email on Dec. 17, 2015

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