NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- Friends, family and colleagues gathered aboard Naval Air Station Patuxent River to witness a change of command at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 May 16.

Cmdr. Jason Rider turned over command of the 420-member squadron to Cmdr. William Selk, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, during the ceremony held in hangar 306.

“This squadron has done amazing work,” said Rear Adm. Mark Darrah, commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. “The thing we need to keep in mind is that they were able to do this work during incredibly uncertain times. This squadron did not miss a beat. It takes leadership. It takes people standing up front, giving guidance, being calm, providing the structure and focus people need to do the right thing, and [Cmdr. Rider] has done that with incredible results.”

Under Rider’s leadership — which began Nov. 15, 2012 — the squadron successfully completed 387 test projects, 6,000 sorties and 18,400 flight hours. He also guided the VX-20 P-8A Poseidon integrated test team through the system development and demonstration phase.

Rider shared credit for his success with various members of the VX-20 leadership team. “It’s the department heads, the platform coordinators, the [leading chief petty officers] who drive the mission home,” he said. “Sure, the commander sets the tone, but it’s those department heads who bring it all together. [They] are responsible for leading us on this fantastic journey.”

Rider’s next assignment will be supporting the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMA-262) program office at Patuxent River, Maryland.

During the ceremony, Rider turned over command to Selk, the VX-20 chief test pilot. Selk has flown more than 2,600 hours in 18 different aircraft. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (Strike/Fighter), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Selk graduated from the Naval Academy in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in systems engineering. In May 2003, Selk was selected to the United States Naval Test Pilot School cooperative program. He earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

“The men and women of VX-20 sitting behind you today are the greatest people that I have ever had the honor to serve with,” Selk said. “They are passionate about what they do, creative in their approach, and eager to deliver the best capabilities to the fleet. I intend to serve with them to the best of my ability every day."

VX-20 is responsible for active flight test and evaluation in all phases of the weapons system life cycle, including aircraft carrier suitability testing, navigation, aerial refueling, strategic airborne communications, airborne surveillance and intelligence collection, airborne early warning systems, carrier onboard delivery and advanced training aircraft missions.