by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Jacksonville’s largest industrial employer landed a new CEO Friday when Capt. Robert Caldwell Jr. took command of Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.
The center, which is the largest tenant at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, is one of eight Fleet Readiness Centers commissioned by the Navy to overhaul, repair and modify aircraft, engines and aeronautical components.
It employs a workforce of almost 4,600 military, civil service and contract employees.
Caldwell, who was the executive officer, succeeded Capt. Paul Sohl in a change of command. Sohl will take the helm as commander of the Naval Test Wing Pacific in Point Mugu, Calif.
“Clearly the foundation of this Fleet Readiness Center is its people,” said Vice Adm. David Architzel, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, headquartered in Patuxent River, Md.
He spoke highly of the work done by the center, and he thanked Sohl for his accomplishments.
Welcoming Caldwell, Architzel spoke of the challenges.
“We will be asked to do more with less,” he said, telling Caldwell his leadership will be required.
“I’m confident you will succeed,” he said.
Caldwell is an aviation maintenance officer.
Sohl, an experienced test pilot, called the past four years “the tour of a lifetime.”
He talked about the work the center is asked to do and its response.
“’Yeah, we can fix that,’” he said. “’Yeah, we can do that.’”
He thanked Caldwell for his service. “Rob, I’m ready to leave,” said Sohl.
“You were ready to take over the day you showed up.”
Caldwell noted the 100th anniversary this year of naval aviation, speaking about its legacy and its future.
“We need to work to answer the call of our country,” he said, referring to military response in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan and relief efforts in Japan and Haiti.
“We must keep our eye on the future,” said Caldwell. “It all has to be done cheaper, faster, better.”
The change of command took place in Hangar 1000 at NAS Jacksonville.
The center has been in service since 1940. According to a history provided by the center, Jacksonville citizens voted a $1 million bond issue in 1939 to buy the site for NAS Jacksonville. The center operated as an assembly and repair department at the station.
During World War II, the center’s labor force grew to 7,300, including 3,500 military personnel. Crews worked around the clock to return aircraft to allied lines.
On April 1, 1967, the Naval Air Rework Facility was commissioned as a separate command under the Commander, Naval Air Systems Command.
Its name changed in 1987 to the Naval Aviation Depot Jacksonville, called NADEP, and changed again in 2001 to Naval Air Depot Jacksonville.
In 2006, it was realigned under Commander Fleet Readiness Centers and Naval Air Forces and renamed Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.
Today it has more than 3,000 civilian employees, 1,000 military personnel and 600 contractors.
Since the beginning, the center’s production shops have maintained, repaired and overhauled almost every type of U.S. Navy aircraft, including attack strike fighters, maritime patrol and reconnaissance, surface and antisubmarine warfare and helicopters.
Products include the carrier-based F/A-18 Hornet and the F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter aircraft; the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft; the P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft; and the SH-60 Seahawk utility and assault aircraft.
Caldwell is a native of Gulfport, Miss., and graduated from Auburn University in 1986 and received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and was designated an aeronautical maintenance duty officer.
He earned a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering in 1998 at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and reported to the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Among his deployments and assignments, he served several times in Jacksonville before beginning a tour in 2009 as executive officer of the Fleet Readiness Center.
As Caldwell takes command, Capt. John Kemna becomes the executive officer.
Calling himself “the luckiest man in the Navy today,” Caldwell closed his remarks with a call to action.
“Thank you very much,” he said. “Let’s get back to work.”
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