By BILL SWANSON
NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

NAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, MD—Send your dress whites to the drycleaner and stand by for a rush of high-level change-of-command ceremonies. On Feb. 4 CNO Adm. Vern Clark officially announced three major command reassignments in the upper echelons of the NAVAIR hierarchy.

Between them, the three men have accumulated nearly 11,000 hours of flight time, made more than 2,200 carrier landings, and served on nine different Navy aircraft carriers.

NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Timothy L. Heely will take the reins of PEO(W), the Program Executive Officer for Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation, and Capt. Jeffrey A. Wieringa, a rear admiral-select, will step into Heely's position as the new NAWCAD commander.

As NAWCAD commander, Heely is "dual-hatted," also serving as NAVAIR assistant commander for systems and engineering. Wieringa will become dual-hatted in this position when he takes over from Heely. Heely will replace Rear Adm. Jack Chenevey, who retired in December.

The third major reassignment went to another rear admiral selectee, Capt. Peter J. Williams, program manager for F-14 weapons system, PMA-241, a division of the Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)). Williams will become NAVAIR assistant commander for aviation depots.

Due to changes in promotion rules, Wieringa and Williams' promotions no longer automatically confer flag rank, but as rear admiral selectees, both men are likely to be frocked to their new ranks later this year.

Heely, a native of Belleville, Ill., graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in American political systems. He received his wings in 1977 and flew the A-7E Corsair II in Attack Squadrons 146 and 97 from NAS Lemoore, Calif., and aircraft carriers in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. After serving as commander, Light Attack Wing Pacific Flag Lieutenant, Heely earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.

Heely first served in an acquisition role in Washington, D.C., as the deputy class desk officer on the A-12 Avenger II program. From there, he returned to the fleet as the executive officer and commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 192's "World Famous Golden Dragons," flying F/A-18C Hornets from USS Midway (CV 41) and USS Independence (CV 62), deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. While in command, his squadron was honored with the Naval Pacific Battle Efficiency Award, as well as the Estocin Award, as the top Hornet squadron in the Navy.

From his assignment in Japan, Heely returned to Washington, D.C., as the head, Aviation Commander Detailer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. He next reported to NAVAIR where he was assigned as the F/A-18 class desk officer and deputy program manager of the F/A-18A/B/C/D program. In February 1997, Heely was selected as the program manager, Naval Undergraduate Jet Flight Training Systems. In August 2000, he was selected to his current position as commander of NAWCAD and NAVAIR assistant commander for research and engineering.

Heely has logged over 3,500 flight hours, 850 arrestments and flew combat missions over Kuwait and Iraq during the Gulf War.

Wieringa's Naval service began in 1973 through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate Program. He graduated from Kansas State College, Pittsburgh, Kan., with a bachelor of science degree in physics in 1975. Following his commissioning as an ensign in 1976, he was designated as a Naval aviator in 1977.

Following A-6 Intruder training at VA-128, he reported to Attack Squadron 145 where he completed two cruises onboard USS Ranger (CV 61). His next assignment was to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 5 as an operational test director for numerous bomb, missile and fuze projects. This tour was culminated with the fleet introduction of the Skipper II missile with air wings onboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) and USS Independence stationed off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon.

After A-6 refresher training at VA-128 he reported to Attack Squadron 165 where he completed two cruises onboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). During this tour he conceived and executed a program that established a tactics department within the squadron. As a result of his performance on this tour he was selected as the "Outstanding Naval Aviator U. S. Pacific Fleet."

In July 1987 he was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He completed the curriculum as class leader for TPS Class 93, and was designated an engineering test pilot in June 1988. His following tour was with the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate (now Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23) as ordnance systems department head and project test pilot. His flight test responsibilities included ordnance carriage and separation as well as carrier suitability envelope expansion flights on A-6 and A-7 aircraft.

In July 1990 he was designated an aeronautical engineering duty officer and reported to NAVAIR as the A-12 Avionics Systems project officer and later the AX program as class desk officer. In June of 1993 he completed F/A-18 flight training at VFA-106 and reported to Patuxent River where he was assigned as the F/A-18 project coordinator.

Wieringa screened for selection as deputy program manager, PMA-265, as the co-leader for the F/A-18E/F Integrated Program Team until July 1998. He then became executive director for operations in the Research and Engineering Department within NAVAIR.

Wieringa commanded the F/A-18 Program, PMA-265, from April 2000 through May 2003. Capping the numerous accomplishments during his command was the successful first combat deployment of 250 F/A-18 Super Hornets in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Wieringa has flown 40 different type of aircraft including the F/A-18F Super Hornet, accumulating over 4,000 flight hours and 534 carrier landings. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), and the Navy Achievement medal. Wieringa was selected for rear admiral in May of 2003.

Williams, a native of Mechanic Falls, Maine, graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in June 1975 and was commissioned an ensign in June 1976 following completion of Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. Williams was designated a Naval Flight Officer in June 1977.

After receiving his wings, Williams reported to VF-101, NAS Oceana for replacement training in the F-4 Phantom. In June 1978 he reported to VF-31 where he made two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea on board USS Saratoga (CV 60). He then transitioned to the F-14A Tomcat with the squadron and made a deployment to the Indian Ocean on board USS John F. Kennedy. During this tour Williams also attended the Navy's famous "Top Gun" Navy Fighter Weapons School, then at NAS Miramar, Calif.

Williams was assigned to VF-101 as an instructor in the F-14A from August 1982 until July 1985 and then attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va. In January 1986, Williams returned to VF-31 for his department head tour where he made two deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic and North Arabian Sea on board USS Forrestal (CVA 59).

He transferred to NAVAIR, Washington, D.C., in November 1988, where he served as the F-14 Class Desk. His responsibilities there included F-14A and F-14D software development, F-14D weapons integration and the F-14A air-to-ground program. For his next assignment, Williams served as the combat direction center officer for Carrier Group 2 from July 1991 to November 1992. During this tour, he was responsible for implementing the role of and serving as the space and electronic warfare commander for the USS John F. Kennedy Battle Group.

Following F-14B refresher flight training at VF-101, Williams joined the "Pukin' Dogs" of VF-143 as the executive officer in June 1993 and assumed command of the squadron in August 1994. While in command, he deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf on board USS George Washington (CVN 73) in support of Operations Deny Flight and Southern Watch. After leaving the squadron Williams served aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) as the air boss from November 1995 until August 1997 and again deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf. After leaving Enterprise, he was assigned to NAVAIR, where he served as the F-14 class desk officer and the Systems Engineering Department head. In February of 2001, Williams assumed command of PMA-241, the F-14 Program.

Williams has accumulated over 3,400 flight hours, including 2,000 in the F-14 and logged over 840 carrier landings. His decorations include four Meritorious Service Medals, one Strike/Flight Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, one Navy Achievement Medal, and various other awards.

Chris Frayser, currently the deputy PMA-241 program manager, will succeed Williams. The F-14 Tomcat is expected to stand down in 2007.

-USN-