PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, MD—The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School held graduation ceremonies for class 122 in the Cedar Point Officers’ Club here Dec. 13. Thirty-three students completed the intense 11-month course of instruction and were designated test pilots, test naval flight officers and test engineers.

Dr. John D. Anderson Jr., Professor Emeritus University of Maryland department of Aeronautics and Astronautics was the guest speaker. Rear Adm. (Sel) Dave Venlet, prospective Commander Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, and assistant commander for test and evaluation, Air 5.0, presented diplomas the graduates. Graduates included members from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, civil service engineers, and international students from Australia, Israel, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Professor Emeritus Louis Schmidt, from the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, presented master's degrees to four cooperative agreement students. They are Lt. Jeremy D. Brunn, Lt. Steven C. Roberto Jr., Lt. John P. Schultz, and Lt. Armen H. Kurdian.

Retired Navy Capt. Michael Cosgrove, vice president of the Patuxent River Council of the Navy League of the United States, presented the Sid Sherby Leadership Award to Lt. Cmdr. Todd A. Abler, class 122 leader. Cosgrove also presented the Outstanding Student Award to Australian Regular Army Capt. Nigel A. Speedy. Navy Lt. Paul J. Mitchell received the Outstanding Development Phase II Award from Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Paul Edwards, USNTPS rotary wing instructor, on behalf of the Empire Test Pilot School.

The curriculum at TPS is divided into three courses of instruction. Twenty-two students completed the requirements for the engineering test pilot course. The new test pilots include Abler; Navy Lieutenants Brunn, Jonathan P. Kline, Richard M. Masica, Roberto, Anthony E. Rossi, Schultz, Kenneth B. Sterbenz, Scott A. Stringer, and William B. Thames; Marine Corps Majors Anthony C. Archer, Mathew G. Kelly, and Nathan G. Neblett; Marine Corps Captain Victor W. Argobright; Army Majors John W. Jones and Kevin B. Williams; Army Captain Steven B. Clark; Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gregg A. Deetman; Air Force Major Sean F. Londrigan; Speedy; Israeli Airforce Major Ehud Levy; Royal Netherlands 1st lieutenant Arie Slagter and Royal Airforce squadron leader Hywel F. Evans.

Five students completed the engineering test flight officer course. They are Marine Corps Major Eric L. Rine; Navy Lieutenants Eddy Ha, Kurdian, Paul J. Mitchell, and Bryan L. Smith.

Five students completed requirements for the test project engineering course. They are Navy civil service employees Mathew D. Funk, Justin S. Garr, Adam A. Terio and Michael A. Tuttle and Army civil service employee Lisa M. Johnson.

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