St. Louis Navy Week 2009 has the privilege of hosting Vice Admiral David J. Venlet, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command and Rear Admiral Lee J. Metcalf, Director, National Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness, as our spokespersons this year. In addition, there will be guest appearances from the Navy "Leap Frog" Parachute Team, Navy Band and other outstanding local Sailors.

Vice Admiral Dave J. Venlet commands Naval Air Systems Command, headquartered in Patuxent River, Md. He previously served as Program Executive Officer, Tactical Air Programs and commanded Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division with responsibility for Navy weapons and systems RDT&E and fleet support capabilities at China Lake and Point Mugu, Calif. He served as NAVAIR Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation, and for Shore Installation Management.

Fleet tours include Fighter Squadron (VF) 41 as an F-14 Tomcat RIO deployed aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68). He wears the Distinguished Flying Cross for action in VF-41. After redesignation as a Naval Aviator he flew with VF-143 as an F-14 pilot deployed aboard USS Dwight D Eisenhower. He next served in Fleet Replacement Squadron VF-101 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana as a Tomcat instructor pilot and A-4 adversary pilot.

Vice Adm. Venlet served as a test pilot at Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River. In 1991 he performed the first carrier landing of the T-45 on USS John F Kennedy (CV 67). He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

Tours in Naval Air Systems Command include the F/A-18 program in various capacities including Class Desk Officer and Deputy Program Manager. He was Executive Assistant to the Commander, Naval Air Systems Command and served as PMA-259, Program Manager for Air-to-Air Missiles involving AIM-9X development.

Vice Adm. Venlet graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He has a BS in Systems Engineering and a MS in Aerospace Engineering.

Please visit the official U.S. Naval Air Systems Command web site at: www.navair.navy.mil

Vice Admiral
David J. Venlet

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Rear Admiral Lee J. Metcalf
Deputy Commander, NRMW

Rear Admiral Lee Metcalf was commissioned through the Naval ROTC program at University of Missouri – Columbia, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Journalism. He earned his Surface Warfare designation while serving in USS Okinawa (LPH-3) followed by an assignment at Surface Warfare Officer School, Det Coronado, as a Combat Systems and LMET instructor.

In 1982 Rear Adm. Metcalf transitioned to the Reserve Component and continued his Navy service with eight command assignments and a wide range of significant non-command tours, including COMSIXTHFLT Det 802 Assistant Chief Of Staff for Operations, Deputy for Mission Effectiveness (DME) Region Nine, and as an Exchange Officer aboard HMAS Warrnambool while living in Australia.

His command assignments include the Reserve Operational Support Units attached to USS Stein (FF-1065), USS Leftwich (DD-755), USS Shasta (AE-33) and Amphibious Group Three. In 2002 he commanded the Reserve Units for OPNAV N76 and OPNAV Capabilities Assessment before being appointed as OPNAV Director Navy Reserve Staff assigned to the office of Director Navy Staff.

Significant active duty assignments included: Crisis Action Team Chief in the USTC Mobility Command Center; USTC LNO to European Command during Operation Desert Fox; Joint/Combined Task Force Commander for Exercise Sea Breeze in the Black Sea; Deputy Commander Reserve Readiness Command, Region Nine; Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (N3) for Commander Naval Reserve Forces; Project Chief for Strategic Planning, Planning Directorate (J5), US Transportation Command; and Balkans Force Re-alignment Team supporting NATO’s Allied Forces Southern Command.

Rear Adm Metcalf has been assigned since Feb 2006 to OPNAV N3/N5 in the Pentagon supporting the implementation of Maritime Domain Awareness across the Navy. His groundbreaking work at the National level resulted in his current assignment as the inaugural Director, of the Joint, Inter Agency National Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness (GMSA). This office is charged with creation of a National Maritime Picture and enhancing Information Sharing across Government, Commercial, and International stakeholders dedicated to stronger Maritime Security and Partnerships.

Rear Adm. Metcalf is a Human Resources professional in his civilian career with a masters in Organizational Development. His industry experience includes assignments in the U.S. and Australia with McDonnell Douglas Corporation, a decade running his own consulting firm with U.S. and international clients, and serving as Director for Organizational Development for Sara Lee Corporation.

He is authorized to wear the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2), Joint Achievement Medal (2), and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2).

Rear Admiral
Lee J. Metcalf

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