NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Fellows organization inducted nearly 40 new members during a ceremony held here last month.

Thirty-eight engineers from NAVAIR joined the fellowship that was established in 1999 by former Naval Air Warfare Center Aviation Division (NAWCAD) commander Rear Adm. Joe Dyer.  The peer-oriented program recognizes significant accomplishments and contributions supporting naval aviation by engineers with at least 15 years of experience and are considered in the top .75 percent of their occupation here.

“The things that get into the hands of our warfighters, the technologies that go from the first infant stages to some kind of a deployed system is in your hands — you are the folks who are doing that,” said NAVAIR commander Vice Adm. David Dunaway during the ceremony August 29. “This is an opportunity to celebrate something that is very important to all of us — the best of the best are sitting right here.”

“Since 1999, we’ve built the NAVAIR Fellows into a very robust program,” said Dr. James Sheehy, Naval Aviation Enterprise Chief Technology Officer and one of the original founders.

 Six other NAVAIR engineers were also recognized for their hard work and received the 2012 Delores M. Etter award. The award, established in 2006, recognizes scientists and engineers for their contributions in their field and to the fleet.

Dunaway presented the Etter award to James Denham for advanced carrier flight controls and display research program; Frank Narducci for detection of changes in magnetic field potentially caused by submarines; and Linda Mullen, Derek Alley, Brandon Cochenour and Alan Laux for their laser imaging system work.

 “The Etter award is one of the most significant awards within DOD for technical accomplishments,” said Sheehy.