CHINA LAKE, Calif. –Cmdr. Brady Bartosh transferred command of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 June 9 to his successor, Lt. Col. Andre Mercier in a ceremony held at the Dust Devils’ Hangar 3. Before assuming command of VX-31, Bartosh served as the chief test pilot under Cmdr. Eric Holmberg.

During the eighteen months Bartosh served as commanding officer, the Dust Devils performed over 6,000 flight hours without any Class A or B mishaps. Bartosh has been transferred to the Naval Air Systems Command Support Equipment and Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Engineering at Lakehurst, N.J.

Mercier was the former Chief Test Pilot (CTP) of VX-31 for over a year. He is being succeeded by (CTP) Cmdr. Andrew “Face” McFarland from Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. A native of Edgartown, Mass., Mercier was commissioned in August 1989 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering through the NROTC program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He was designated a Naval Flight Officer in July 1991 at NAS Pensacola, Fla.

Mercier trained as an EA-6B Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer (ECMO) at VAQ-129 in Whidbey Island, Wash. and then transferred to VMAQ-4 in Cherry Point, N.C., in January 1992. He completed two deployments to Japan and one to Italy flying 28 combat missions during operation “Deny Flight.”

Mercier was assigned to VAQ-129 in Whidbey Island, Wash., as an FRS instructor from June 1996 to June 1999. He remained at Whidbey from June 1999 to May 2000 as the requirements technology officer (N83) on the staff of the Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, where he defined simulator and aircraft requirements and served as a member of the ICAP III Mission Software IPT and Fleet Project Team.

In 2000, Mercier reported to NAS Patuxent River for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (TPS). In July 2001, Mercier joined VX-23 as a project officer. Under Mercier’s leadership, the ICAP III test team won the Captain Steven A. Hazelrigg award for test team excellence in June 2004, and he personally won the 2003 A. C. McMullen award for leadership in test and evaluation from the Association of Old Crows.

From February 2004 to June 2004, Mercier served as the operations officer for VX-23 where he managed aircraft, aircrew and facilities coordination for over 30 test projects, on 31 unique test aircraft, across three aircraft models. He earned a Master of Science degree in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee in May 2004.

Through June 2006, Mercier served as Executive Officer, Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Three (VMAQ-3) where he deployed to Afghanistan flying 48 combat missions. He then served as the mission systems IPT lead on the F-35 program.

His personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with Combat V) and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.