The Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Lab at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst is a little more than a year old, but is already showing a significant impact to supply chain security for the fleet. 

Early in his time working at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst, Matthew Partacz said he learned how invaluable having a mentor can be and how rewarding paying his knowledge forward is. During a Naval Air Systems Command ceremony on Jan. 30, Partacz was named Lakehurst’s Mentor of the Year for his work guiding new employees to successful careers.  

As he spoke at a luncheon for veterans at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst on Dec. 18, Dennis Addesso shared some painful memories of his time serving as a Marine during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the toll his time overseas took on him and his family when he came home. 

The holiday spirit came early to the Lakehurst side of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) as boxes for the annual Toys for Tots drive popped up around the installation at the beginning of October. As they have done in years past, team members from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst and other groups on the Lakehurst side of base worked together to make the holidays brighter for children in Monmouth and Ocean Counties by donating close to 1,000 toys and 60 bikes for kids of all ages. 

Long before she was named Supervisor of the Year for Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst on Nov. 16, Michele Huk, the Director of the Workforce Operations Office (WOO), was a high school student from nearby Toms River getting her feet wet in government service as part of a co-op program with the local base. More than four decades later, Huk has worked her way up the ladder by learning from those above her while helping countless others start and advance their careers. 

Anyone who has purchased items online or from a store knows damaged or inadequate packaging often results in damaged contents. Proper packaging is oftentimes overlooked until there is a situation where the item(s) become damaged. For the Navy, improper packaging can result in loss of readiness as well as loss of capital. That’s why the work done by the Packaging, Handling, Storage and Transportation (PHS&T) lab at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst is essential to supporting the warfighter.

The Workforce Operations Office (WOO) at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst started November welcoming potential employees to visit the base to tour labs and other facilities and a meet and greet as part of the recruitment process.  

Workforce Development Supervisor Tom Riccobono said attendees included people recruited and screened at college fairs who met the skillsets needed for jobs at Lakehurst. As part of the event, candidates can interview with up to three different branches for potential employment. 

A system designed to reduce the number of collisions on aircraft carriers took a significant step forward in the development process when the Wing Walker team from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst held its first system test this past summer.

With collisions on deck potentially costing millions of dollars to fix and also decreasing overall readiness, the Wing Walker team spent several years going through various iterations of the system before testing the current model.

More than 300 people filled the Flight Deck at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD LKE) on Oct. 4 for an open house exposition showcasing the work they do and the capabilities they develop in support of the warfighter. 

The event featured approx. 40 indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a series of focused presentations. Among the departments represented at the event were Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE), Support Equipment (SE), Prototype, Manufacturing and Test (PMT), Mission Operations and Integration (MO&I) and Procurement. 

This summer, while unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were tested at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD LKE), a program held in conjunction with the Toms River, New Jersey school district gave future pilots a chance to earn their early wings during a drone summer camp.