By JOSH PHILLIPS
Public Affairs

NAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, MD—After a two-year hiatus in the wake of increased security precautions caused by the 9/11 tragedy, NAS Patuxent River will again offer tours of the station to the community.

Beginning Oct. 6, the Fleet and Family Support Center will conduct hour-long tours once a month, during which the public will be introduced to some of the station’s cutting edge technology and receive an in-depth history lesson of Pax River’s pre-military history.

"The base is the largest employer in the area and certainly it would be wonderful for the community to understand what goes on behind the gate," said Bettie Broadhurst, relocation counselor for FFSC.

Pax River employees already know that the station is more than a testing ground for the Navy's most advanced aviation technology. It's also chock full of history as it was the home for Native Americans and colonial settlers.

"The thing that I'm going to add to the community tour is letting people know that over the years there have been a lot of people who have affected the station and done wonderful things here," she said.

In addition to several plantations such as Mattapany, the land was once made up of three separate towns, the original home of Bell Motor Company and St. Nicholas Church. The chapel was built in 1915 to replace one that had been used since the 1700s.

The current chapel is home to a crucifix sculpted by Felix de Weldon, creator of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima monument) next to Arlington National Cemetery. He created the sculpture while he was stationed here.

"There are 10 windows in the church that depict the life of Christ from birth to death," Broadhurst said.

From history to technology and from hangar to farmhouse, the tours will have something for everybody.

The first tour begins Oct.6 at 1 p.m. in the parking lot behind the Frank Knox building, located on Route 235 south of Gate 2. Please bring a photo identification. Tours are to last approximately one hour. There is no charge for the tour, but reservations are mandatory. No cameras are permitted on the tour. The tours will be conducted on the first Monday of each month.

For more information or to reserve a seat call 301-342-4911.

—USN—

NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technologies through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From aircraft and weapons development to carrier launch and recovery, from sensors to real-time communications to precision targeting, from aircraft and weapons sustainment to state-of-the-art training, NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter.