By Renee Hatcher
NAWCWD Public Affairs

In an effort to help with recruiting efforts and to increase national awareness of the work at NAWCWD, the command recently conducted interviews with several major media outlets.

“L.A. Times” reporter Peter Pae spent a day in March at China Lake learning about WD efforts underway including with the Spike Missile Project, the Weapons Prototype Division, the Chemistry Division, the Integrated Battlespace Arena, and the Unmanned Systems Activity. The article was published on the front page of the April 20 issue and sparked interest across the country. Later that week, “Fox News” did a telephone interview with Steve Felix, Spike Missile Project manager, which aired on April 24 and was posted online.

“Spike is an interesting story because not only is it a novel idea with huge benefits for the warfighter, it also has the potential to help us learn how to build and buy weapons in a more cost effective way again,” said Scott O’Neil, NAWCWD executive director.

“Aviation Week and Space Technology” senior military editor Dave Fulghum spent a week at NAWCWD in March interviewing subject matter experts about programs and projects at Point Mugu and China Lake. The first in a series of articles from Fulghum is expected out in early June.

“Our job at China Lake is to understand the technology, see where it can go and get on the leading edge of it,” said Felix, who shared this recognition with his team. “Scott and I get a lot of attention, but we understand that if it wasn’t for the knowledge, ability and problem-solving skills that you bring to this facility, there’s no point in the rest of us being here.”

O’Neil and acting NAWCWD Commander Capt. Mark Storch presented Felix and Felipe Jauregui, Unmanned Systems Activity science and technology lead, with framed copies of the “L.A. Times” article.

“I stand in awe of what these teams are doing,” said acting NAWCWD Commander Capt. Mark Storch. “It’s fascinating to see all of their hard work coming to fruition.”

Photo by Renee Hatcher
Capt. Mark Storch, acting NAWCWD commander, and Scott O’Neil, right, NAWCWD executive director, present WD employees Steve Felix, second from left, and Felipe Jauregui with a framed copy of the recent “L.A. Times” article featuring the Spike missile and WD’s Unmanned Systems Activity.