Harrier Program Welcomes Next Commander

Col. Charles S. Gray, left, accepts command of the AV-8B Weapons Systems Program Office (PMA-257) from Col. Thomas C. Walsh during a Change-of-Command ceremony Aug. 10. (U.S. Navy photo by Adam Skoczylas)

The AV-8B Weapons Systems Program Office (PMA-257) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River appointed a new program manager during a change-of-command and retirement ceremony Aug. 10.

Former commander of the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-23, Col. Charles Gray, relieved Col. Thomas Walsh, who retired from the Marine Corps after 25 years of service.

The PMA-257 program office manages the life cycle sustainment of the AV-8B Harrier Weapon System, for the Marine Corps and its allied partners the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. The program engineers, procures, fields and sustains readiness and capability improvements for Vertical/Short TakeOff and Landing (V/STOL) attack capability.

Source: AIR-1.0 Public Affairs