Ask Rear Adm. Keith Hash, commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, about "soft skills,"` and he'll set you straight.

"In leadership, everyone calls them soft skills. I don't call them very soft," Hash said. "They're some of the hardest things I've ever learned in my career."

Leadership EDGE (Engagement, Direction, Growth and Empowerment) equips leaders with the skills to engage teams, set direction, drive growth, and empower others to achieve their full potential.

Harlan Kooima, director of research and development at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division retired July 31. He served over 30 years in federal service and another five in the private sector within the Department of Defense.

During his flag ceremony at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Kooima spoke with emotion. He talked about his passion for the mission and his dedication to the warfighter.

“We live in the greatest country in the world with the best military,” Kooima said. “It has been my honor to serve the warfighter in this capacity.”

A man of the people…

We’ve all heard the phrase “people matter.” Richard Cracraft has made "people matter" the cornerstone of his 38-year government career. As he retires from his role as director of the Human Capital Group for Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, colleagues remember him as a guiding light during both crises and celebrations.

Through workforce reductions, base realignments, earthquakes and pandemics, Cracraft kept people at the center of his work.

In 1977, Ken Ewbank joined the Navy and learned his trade as an electronics technician. Once he was ready for an assignment, instead of the ocean, his first orders sent him to a lake. Naval Weapons Center China Lake.

And then out to Laurel Mountain to maintain a long-range radar.

Ewbank spent two years at China Lake working on projects big and small, including working with the range targets team and witnessing the very first HARM launch. That memorable moment stuck with him.

Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Executive Director Dan Carreño recognized team members of the Radio Frequency Technician Support Branch, Ken Banks and Archie Crawford, with length-of-service awards during a recent ceremony at China Lake.

Carreño congratulated both and praised their readiness to support the warfighter.

Crawford, an engineering technician, celebrated 40 years of service spent gaining – and sharing – expertise across several platforms.

Several Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division team members were honored with an Executive Director’s Award on July 10 for their pivotal role in transforming how the command invests in its future capabilities. The recognized individuals came from the technical, financial, infrastructure and workforce development communities.

Dennis Ramsey's government career started at rock bottom.

In October 1974, Ramsey was promoted to GS-1, but he didn't know it.

"I didn't realize until many years later, when I reviewed my SF-50s, that I had received a promotion to GS-1," Ramsey said. "I have an SF-50 that shows my first promotion was to a GS-1 within those 3.5 months, which is probably not something many people can say."

That same teenager received his 50-year length-of-service award at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at Point Mugu on June 18.

Mark Roth pauses mid-conversation and grabs a marker. At the whiteboard tucked inside his open-door office, he sketches out the heart of a complex problem, breaking it down piece by piece. It isn't a scheduled meeting or a formal briefing. It's how Roth works: always present, always listening, always helping others find clarity.

For 40 years at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Roth turned pressure into progress. Every time.

Royce Williams starts each day the same way. He sits at his desk, reviews test schedules, manages logistics, and replies to emails from engineers heading to San Nicolas Island. From his office, just a short walk from the mission support hub, he works behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly and efficiently.

After 35 years of service, he doesn’t focus on being seen. It’s about making sure everything behind the scenes works as planned. 

1985 was a pivotal year. Microsoft 1.0 was introduced, Mike Tyson made his boxing debut and Scott Fuller began his legacy with Naval Air Warfare Weapons Division.

Microsoft may be on version 11.0, but Fuller has dedicated over 40 years helping to advance propulsion and energetic technologies within the Navy.

Some say Fuller may go down in NAWCWD history as the longest surviving civilian who started his career with China Lake Propulsion Laboratory and spent his entire career behind the CLPL gate.