By Gidge Dady
NAVAIR V-22 Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND HEADQUARTERS, Patuxent River, MD, June 14, 2001-
After nearly 29 years of service in the U. S. Marine Corps and four years as the V-22 program manager, Col. Nolan D. Schmidt was joined by over 250 guests who gathered on June 14 at the Naval Air Systems Command headquarters for his retirement and change of command.

The guest speaker, Lt. Gen. Fred McCorkle, deputy commandant for Marine Corps Aviation touted the virtues of the V-22 aircraft and acknowledged the contributions that Schmidt made to getting this aircraft closer to being in the fleet. McCorkle said Schmidt laid a solid foundation for this program, presented it well, and worked it to the edge as far as money was concerned. “I have never seen anyone who was more dedicated to a job or cared more about his team-- I could always count on him to come up with a sound answer,” said McCorkle.

Schmidt’s farewell remarks touched on three important areas under his leadership—where the program has been, the truth, and the way forward--and revealed the feelings of a leader who had the daunting task of managing a program that has been under intense public and congressional scrutiny after two fatal mishaps in less than one year. Schmidt selected the poignant words of Theodore Roosevelt who spoke at the Sorbonne, Paris, in April 1910, to exemplify his message about people who face difficult situations and whether the outcome of their efforts is success or failure, their triumph is in the achievement. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of the deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms and devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause.”(excerpts from Roosevelt’s speech). Schmidt said the V-22 program and individuals associated with it have been publicly maligned and impugned in an atmosphere that was similar to war. “Let the record show that the Marines who died were our friends and comrades and that we suppressed no truth about this aircraft,” he said.

As to the way ahead Schmidt said, “the V-22 team has a strategy and action plan that will move the program forward to fix all the problems and produce a better and more mature product for the fleet. I am proud of the team approach to solving problems and overcoming obstacles and having led the best team in NAVAIR. I believe this aircraft will save thousands of Marine and Air Force Special Operations warfighter lives during its service use.”

Schmidt led the V-22 program for four years through its Engineering and Manufacturing, Development phase, Operational Evaluation, and into Low Rate Initial Production. In recognition of his meritorious service while serving as the V-22 program manager from June 1997 to June 2001, he was presented the Legion of Merit (his second) that cited his extraordinary command of Department of Defense development and acquisition processes that skillfully guided the V-22 program through its final stages of technical and operational test. “To produce the best possible aircraft on a timetable that would meet the needs of the fleet, and remain within budgetary constraints, Col. Schmidt set about establishing a solid, viable program that could be defended and supported during future program and budgetary reviews.” The award further stated that “his adept management of increasingly scarce resources led to Cost Reduction Affordability Team initiatives that have to date, resulted in over $100 million in cost avoidance, with plans in place that will realize an additional $600 million in total cost avoidance in the coming year. The Power by the Hour contract for the $4.4 billion T406/AE1107C Engine Program is recognized as one of the Department of Defense’s premier leaders in championing the tenants of acquisition reform.”

This award also acknowledged Schmidt’s significant contributions to Naval Aviation which, under his leadership, resulted in seven V-22 program awards of which six were for engineering and acquisition excellence.

In addition to the Legion of Merit, Schmidt was recognized in a personal letter from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James Jones, for his devotion to the Corps and for tremendous contributions over three decades of service. Jones said, “You are part of the Corps’ legacy of caring leadership that has made a difference in Marine lives.” The Commandant also recognized Schmidt’s wife, Jan, for her steadfast support year after year and called her one of the unsung heroes for the great sacrifices she made as a military spouse.

Schmidt is succeeded by Col. Dan Schultz who becomes the sixth program manager since the program began in Dec. 1982. Prior to this new assignment, Shultz had a tour of duty in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for air programs.

Schultz opened his remarks by recognizing Schmidt’s invaluable contributions to the V-22 program and said it is difficult business taking a program forward when not everyone on the outside believes in it. As an underscore to the solid foundation for the V-22 program that exists due to Schmidt’s tireless efforts, Schultz said, “I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I have in place a good NAVAIR team to show us the way forward in a methodical and purposeful way that’s going to produce an aircraft that we can all be proud of.”

In closing he said, “I have a dynamic program that is desperately needed by the Marine Corps and the Air Force. I’ve got the funding to take it forward, the right people to do the job and an industry that is committed to getting it done. I’m ready to go to work.”

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