Released by Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake Public Affairs Office –
By Susan Read

NAVAIR Weapons Division, China Lake, California’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE-ONE (VX-31) leadership changed hands on Friday, 2 September 2005, when Commander Timothy J. Morey, former Chief Test Pilot of the VX-31 Dust Devils, replaced newly-frocked Captain William M. Chubb as Commanding Officer (CO) in a change of command ceremony held in Hangar 3 at Armitage Airfield.

Captain Alex Hnarakis, Commander, Naval Test Wing Pacific, was the guest speaker and welcomed Mrs. Raquel Chubb to the podium to pin the new insignia on her husband’s uniform. Hnarakis spoke of the significance of the commanding officer’s role. “There are many leaders in all great organizations and VX-31 has many leaders at many levels, but they work together under the leadership and course charted by only one commanding officer.”

Hnarakis referred to the process that selects the best leaders from many capable and willing professionals. “Here at VX-31, Sailors, Marines, civil service and contractor professionals, more than 400 in all, have benefited and thrived under Skipper Chubb’s leadership” he said, listing a series of accomplishments including the support of a diverse stable of aircraft, the deployment of 12 new Operational Flight Programs (OFPs), response to urgent Fleet needs in theater and providing helicopter search and rescue capability for the R-2508 military airspace and training complex.

Hnarakis said Chubb was chosen for a command position again, and will report to PMA-272 at Naval Air System Command, Patuxent River, Maryland in mid-October. He offered Chubb congratulations for a superb tour at VX-31, and welcomed Morey as the new CO.

Captain Chubb then spoke to the large assembly of Sailors, Marines, civil service members, friends and family gathered for this traditional, time-honored event. “It’s great to be the CO of such a motivated group,” he said. “We did our job by being true and working by Navy core values.” He told the Dust Devils standing at parade rest “You are the nation’s finest. You are the best.” In closing, he expressed gratefulness to Commander Morey for his support. “Tim, you’re about to become the CO of the greatest Squadron in the Navy.”

Commander Morey addressed the challenge President Bush delivered on September 20, 2001 – “How will we win this war?” The President told those in uniform to be ready, Morey said, “And Naval aviation was ready at that moment. We were ready for a lot of reasons, but one of them was because of the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the Weapons Division. Our war fighters were armed with many precision-guided munitions that were developed and tested here at China Lake and Point Mugu.”

Morey highlighted the ways in which accomplishments were achieved and the warfighters were supported. He emphasized that success is owed to the efforts of many people, and thanked Captain Chubb for his mentorship and the example he set by doing what was right in some difficult situations.

Morey also thanked his father, a former Navy pilot; his mother, a former Navy nurse; and his brother, an ordnanceman and Navy SEAL, for their pride in him and their service to this nation. He cited the example of chief petty officers and commanding officers he’s worked with as helping to develop his leadership style, reflecting on two officers in particular. “They gave us projects and responsibilities of immense importance, gave us sound direction, and got out of our way. We made mistakes, learned from them, and moved on without ever any fear of failing. This has become my philosophy, the way I conduct business daily, and has served my well.”

The new Skipper of the Dust Devils closed with the words “BE SAFE! God bless each and every one of you, and God bless America!”