PSD Goes TOPS New System Streamlines Paperwork Page 5 Be Fire Safe Every Week Is Fire Prevention Week Pages 6-7 NAS Team Jax Navy Cyclists Pedal For Charity Page 13 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009 uwn. www.jaxairnews.com 7 OL 7 O.4 9N SJAKOVLEFj FRCSE brings home damaged Prowler from Iraq By FRCSE Public Affairs Mammoth Air Force C-5 Galaxy touched down on the NAS Jacksonville runway Oct. 8 with a U.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler aircraft safely tucked away in its cargo bay. Also on board were five Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) arti- sans who recently traveled to Al Asad, Iraq to prepare the damaged Prowler for its long flight back to Florida, where it will be evaluated for possible restoration. FRCSE Planner and Estimator Chuck Smithson led a team of four sheet metal mechanics who spent three weeks in Iraq work- ing 12-hour days in harsh conditions to prepare the jet for transport in record time. The primary mission of the twin-engine EA-6B is to support ground-attack aircraft and troops by inter- rupting enemy electronic activity and obtaining tactical electronic intel- ligence within a combat area. The Prowler is also used in anti-improvised explosive device opera- tions in the current conflict in Afghanistan. The crew consists of a pilot and three electronic countermeasures officers. The EA-6B Prowler entered service in 1972. Production ceased in 1991 after the completion of 170 aircraft. f- Photo by Vic Pitts FRCSE sheet metal mechanics, returning from a three-week aircraft rescue mission in Iraq Oct. 8, steer the damaged USMC EA-6B Prowler down a specialized ramp from the cargo bay of a USAF C-5 Galaxy transport plane. Station's P-2V Neptune under refurbishment to honor 'LA-9' crew From VP-5 Public Affairs VP-5 maintainers have been volunteering numerous hours providing restoration work prior to repainting of the Lockheed P-2V Neptune, which is on static dis- play at NAS Jacksonville's Heritage Park. The project began Sept. 21 and once the work is complete, the airplane will be dedicated to the VP-5 "LA-9" aircrew that was lost Jan. 12, 1962. LA-9 took off on a routine Cold War anti-submarine mission from Keflavik, Iceland where the remote terrain and particular weather chal- lenge of the area could become very dangerous, very quickly. When the aircraft failed to return, search and rescue crews were launched. Eventually, the extensive searches yielded no evidence of the crew and the Navy presumed LA-9 missing at sea. It was not until 1966, that British geologists located the crash remains of LA-9 on the Kronborg Glacier of Greenland, thus rekindling the efforts See NEPTUNE, Page 8 Photo by PH2 Jeffrey Lehrberg Recovery personnel investigate the wreckage of a Navy P-2V Neptune aircraft with the tail designation "LA-9" that crashed on a Greenland glacier in 1962. The Navy conducted recovery operations in Greenland to recover any human remains of the VP-5 crew. AD3 Zackary Barnett and AM3 Xian Wu from VP-5 sand down the fuselage of the P-2V Neptune static display at Heritage Park. VP-5 maintenance personnel have volunteered to restore the P-2V to mirror the appearance of LA-9. Photo by MC2 Jason Wilson Photos by Clark Pierce CPRW-11 Chief Staff Officer Cmdr. Jim Debold explains the P-3 flight line outside Hangar 511 during the Oct. 8 tour by Leadership Clay Class of 2009. Leadership Clay learns about military impact on local economy By Clark Pierce Editor Commander, Navy Region Southeast hosted the "Leadership Clay" Class of 2009 at Hangar 511 at NAS Jacksonville Oct. 8. "We're a group of Clay County Chamber of Commerce members that meets monthly from February to November at a business or government organization. Today is 'military day' and we're hon- ored to be here at NAS Jax to learn what they do - and how they contribute to our local economy," said Stephen Nebrat, director of Leadership Clay. "It's been very interesting to learn about all the different commands and how they help sustain the economy of Northeast Florida." Alan Watt, of Reynolds, Smith and Hills (a Jacksonville-based facilities and infrastructure con- sulting firm), described Leadership Clay as an annual economic development program that takes up-and- coming leaders from the community and builds their knowledge of how government and free enterprise interact. "I graduated with the class of 2005 and found it invaluable. Throughout the year, class mem- bers take part in a history day, city government day, state gov- (From left) Stephen Nebrat and ernment day, Byron Allmond learn about one of communications/ the P-3 surveillance stations from media day and, VP-5 aircrewman AWO2 Matthewright now, a mili- Digregorio.tary day," said Watt. NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Jack Scorby Jr. welcomed the participants and briefly reviewed the station's history that goes back to its commission- ing in 1940. He also described other areas of respon- sibility that include Outlying Field Whitehouse, Rodman Range and Pinecastle Bombing Range. "NAS Jacksonville is much like a small city with a large airport," explained Scorby. "Our departments include public works, fire/rescue, security, information technology, personnel, legal and environmental spread out over 3,896 acres. Our air operations support more than 83,000 takeoffs and landings every year." Scorby also reviewed the economic impact of numer- ous on-going facility improvements, as well as major construction projects such as P-3 Hangar 511, the HSM helicopter hangar and the P-8 Integrated Training Center. He said that the station's physical plant value approaches $2.5 billion. See CLAY, Page 8 TOUCHING New Hours Touchdown for the Troops BA E Pass and ID is now open Oct. 24, 10 a.m. 2 p.m 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily Bolles School Call 542-4529 Call 778-9772