By Vicky Falcón
NAVAIR Public Affairs Office

Between two presentations he gave to the workforce last week, NAVAIR’s Commander, Vice Admiral Walter Massenburg, used his actions to underscore his message that manpower is one of his most valued commodities within the organization.

“There is an enormous amount of money in our people,” said Massenburg during his earlier presentation, where he discussed a Human Capital Strategy to increase productivity and resources through the efficient use of manpower. Massenburg stressed that this new strategy is not about Reduction in Force. Instead, he said, “It is understanding what we need to do across today, tomorrow and in our future and then shaping our workforce to get there.”

Reinforcing the message that he values the NAVAIR workforce, the admiral spent two hours greeting and visiting with employees at three buildings on base. Massenburg, who is noted for his firm handshake, first went to Bldg. 1489, which houses NAVAIR and NAWC human resource personnel. The admiral shook hands with employees, greeting them and thanking them for their efforts.

The admiral then went to the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Division (AIMD) hangar where he shook hands with as many people as he could throughout the offices, hangar and publications library. While there, he awarded three NAVAIR coins to AD3 Walter Portillo, AM2 Victor Morales, and AT3 Jason Piper.

The last stop during Massenburg’s “walk-about” was the Pax Landing Restaurant where he not only ate lunch, but greeted patrons and staff alike, thanking them for their varied, and important, contributions to the fleet.

The admiral later returned to the base theater where, prior to again sharing his high regard and future plans for the NAVAIR workforce, he shook hands with everyone in the packed auditorium.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: VADM Massenburg, NAVAIR Commander, greets a staff member at Pax Landing Restaurant during a recent “walk-about” on base. Photo by Roger LeJeune.

Photo 2: VADM Massenburg, NAVAIR Commander, greets a sailor at the AIMD hangar during a recent “walk-about” on base. Photo by Roger LeJeune.