Many of you understand that this will be my last ‘‘From the Skipper” column. Change of command ceremonies are part of our time honored naval traditions, so each change brings with it new beginnings and new opportunities. Tomorrow, I will pass command of NAS Patuxent River to my Executive Officer, Capt. Steve Schmeiser, with complete trust and confidence that under his leadership NAS Pax River will continue to deliver premier customer service to our tenants on this world’s finest naval air station.

It has been an honor to serve as your base Commanding Officer. I am humbled to have served alongside such a dedicated group of professionals. Looking back on the past 22 months, I am incredibly proud of our caring and compassionate ‘‘Pax Pros” giving their very best personal efforts.

From an operations standpoint, our new Emergency Operations Center has elevated our emergency management response capabilities. Improvements to mass notifications, new anti-terrorism and force protection technologies, and tough, realistic table-top exercises, functional exercises and full scale drills have sharpened our skills to respond quickly, decisively and effectively when disaster strikes. We focused on the importance of individual preparedness for emergencies and emphasized the Navy’s ‘‘Operation Prepare” campaign to be disaster-ready by following three simple steps: be informed, have a plan and make a kit.

From a facilities management perspective, you showed a dedicated commitment to supporting the mission of the Navy’s full spectrum research, development, acquisition, test and evaluation center of excellence for all of naval aviation. Many of you participated in looking ahead 25 years to create Pax’s Naval Shore Vision 2035 and envision a future on how to most efficiently and effectively support growing integrated product teams and integrated test teams.

Through your selfless efforts, we opened the Aircraft Research Support Facility and the Hawkeye⁄Greyhound (E-2⁄C-2) Integrated Test Facility, built unique airfield facilities for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft, completed a $15 million airfield renovation project, continued to upgrade the Test Pilot School hangar and are nearing completion of Phase One of the Aircraft Prototype Facility.

Your hard work enabled us to make significant strides by improving the quality of life at Pax River. We opened the new Lovell Cove housing area this past summer, opened Pax River’s first-ever Liberty Center for the Single Sailor program in July 2009, and recently opened the River’s Edge Catering and Conference Center last month. Our Freedom Lounge renovations are just about complete and the barracks renovations are ongoing.

Our Individual Augmentees remain actively supported across the deployment continuum and are welcomed home in first-class style at our IA Homecomings. You showed our IAs and their families that we genuinely appreciated sacrifices they have made to allow us to live in freedom and peace.

The three major focus areas of operations, facilities management and quality of life blossomed because of your respect, trust and willingness to work together. You, the ‘‘Pax Pros,” are a truly dedicated team of extraordinary Sailors, Marines, civilian and contractor employees. Thank you for dreaming, believing, daring and doing to bring all of these projects to reality.

Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning and a new challenge. Thank you all for such a wonderful command experience and once again I have been most honored for this magnificent opportunity to be a part of a team that takes care of its own — the ‘‘Pax Pros.” Remember: To lead is to serve.