By NORINE ROWE
NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs Department

PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, MD—Building on strong military ties and the commitment of its volunteers, the Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)) launched the sixth year of a partnership with Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy during a kick-off ceremony here last week.

On hand to greet Leonard Hall’s entire student body at the Oct. 2 Personal Excellence Partnership ceremony in NAVAIR’s Moffett Building was Rear Adm. James B. Godwin, program executive officer for PEO(T).

“This partnership is not just important to the students at Leonard Hall, but also to our people,” Godwin said. “We have multi-talented individuals here who have a great desire to help, who take away as much as they give.”

Godwin said he has no trouble getting volunteers from PEO(T) to participate at the private military academy in Leonardtown.

“Some of our volunteers are only able to help with one-time events, while others are in it for the long-haul,” Godwin said. “In either case, a lot of our folks are finding fulfillment by helping out at this school.”

In addition to tutoring students, volunteers from PEO(T)’s seven program management offices provide monthly character development lectures, participate in the school’s promotion boards and serve as guest inspectors during quarterly drill inspections. Volunteers also help with special school projects, such as donating computers for a computer lab, connecting the school to the Internet and refurbishing the school building. Helping to coordinate this work is Lt. Cmdr. Greg Russell of PMA-234, who served as a volunteer at the school last year. In the year ahead, Russell plans to build on the strong foundation that PEO(T) has established at the school while expanding the scope of partnership activities.

“I’m very excited about the partnership and the possibilities for the upcoming year in terms of additional support we can provide,” Russell said. “I see a lot of potential for growth.”

Also speaking at the partnership kick-off ceremony was Samuel Brick, president of Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy, who thanked PEO(T) volunteers for their support.

“Your support cannot be quantified,” Brick said. “It becomes a part of every young man and woman in our program.”

The role model provided by PEO(T) volunteers, Brick said, is especially important to Leonard Hall students.

“When your Marine aviator speaks of honesty, it rings a bit more clear than posters on the wall,” he said. “When your officers join our promotion boards, they add enhanced integrity to the system. When you inspect and judge us at the competitives, it fills our chests with pride. When you tutor us, we know your support and try just a bit harder.”

Brick also praised PEO(T) for its ongoing commitment to Leonard Hall during wartime as well as peace.

“Your being there for us, especially in these trying times, makes us give that extra effort which is a vital building block for character development,” he said. “With your efforts you can be sure that as far as Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy is involved, no child will be left behind.”

Following the kick-off, students visited display tables staffed by the program management offices and then toured the U. S. Naval Test Pilot School here.

—USN—

Photo by Kelly Burdick
Ernie Pyle of PMA-272 shares information about his group's work with junior William Hardman, a midshipman at Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy, folloing an annual kick-off event of PEO(T) renewing its partnership with the school.