The following is from the Maroondah Secondary College ( The City Of Maroondah, Australia) Valedictory Dinner held Oct 2001.

Cdr. Barbara Bell, United States Navy, was the guest speaker.

 

"The highlight of the evening was the most motivational and inspirational address, “This Is My Story”, given by our guest speaker, Cdr. Barbara Bell, United States Navy, who is currently based in Melbourne, occupying the position of Commander - Defense Contract Management Agency, Australia. It was a great privilege and honour to have Cdr. Bell as our guest speaker and we take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to her for her contribution to the overall success of the evening."

 

 

 

THIS IS MY STORY - CDR. BARBARA BELL, U.S. NAVY

 

I am a native of Traverse City, Michigan and graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland in May 1983.

After commissioning, I entered Naval Flight Officer training in Pensacola, FL and received my "Wings of Gold" in August 1984.

 

Upon completing A-3 Fleet Replacement Squadron training, I reported to Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Thirty-Four at Pt. Muga, California in October 1985 and qualified as a Mission Commander, a NATOPS Instructor and as both a Navigator and an Electronic Countermeasures Officer in the ERA-3B and KA-3B aircraft.

At the completion of my first squadron tour, I was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland.

Upon graduation from Test Pilot School, I was assigned to the Systems Engineering Test Directorate at NAS Patuxent River where I was a test project officer on several aircraft test programs including the EP-3E, British NIMROD, EA-6B and F-14 upgrade programs. In March 1991, I returned to Test Pilot School as its first female instructor.

 

On being selected as an Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer, I reported to the Naval Postgraduate School where I received an M.S. Degree in Space Systems Engineering. Completing this Degree in September 1994, I reported to the National Reconnaissance Office where I served as the

Integration and Test lead of a new-start, multi-agency, joint service, major acquisition space program.

 

In October 1997, I reported to Program Executive Officer, Tactical Aircraft Programs, Patuxent River, Maryland. Assigned to the EA-6B Program Office, I led the efforts to install and field the USQ-113(V)3 Communications Jammer and the Connectivity system into the EA-6B Prowler. I also served as the Program Integrator for the EA-6B Program Office, managing fleet inventory for the Prowler community.

 

Currently, I occupy the position of Commander, Defense Contract Management Agency, Australia. My command performs contract administration services for over $170M worth of U.S. Department of Defense contracts with Australia and New Zealand.

 

During my military service, I have accumulated over 1600 flying hours in more than thirty-five types of U.S and Allied aircraft.

 

Well, that is my own personal story - a story of my progression from living in a small town with limited money to reaching where I am today, thanks to the support of my parents and educators.

 

I believe that it was important for me to tell you my story for everyone has a life story and you, the Class of 2001, are standing at the crossroads of your own life stories - the challenge is to determine what your life story will be.

 

The parents and teachers of Maroondah Secondary College have prepared the Class of 2001 well, now the choice is up to you. Best wishes.

 

1997 http://www.nwnews.com/vvissues/v11n47/front3.html

Commander Eastwick was selected for Captain in 2001.

 

 
Commander Joyce M. Eastwick of Duvall has been placed in charge of the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station unit formerly commanded by Tom W. Adams.

Commander Joyce M. Eastwick was honored Oct. 4 at a change of command ceremony at the U.S. Naval Air Reserve Station, Whidbey Island. Commander Eastwick will be in charge of the unit formerly commanded by Tom W. Adams. Commander Eastwick lives in Duvall with her husband Mike. She grew up and attended schools in Marysville and graduated from Marysville-Pilchuck High School in 1976. She is the daughter of Wilfred Schmitt of Everett and Ruth Brooks of Mukilteo.

Both Senator Henry M. Jackson and Lloyd Meeds selected her for an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1977. She was one of the female pioneers at this academy as this was only the second year that young women were accepted at this military institution. Commander Eastwick noted that it was a "very interesting situation" at the academy since they were just then getting familiar with women.

Upon graduation, she transferred to the U.S. Navy. She graduated from flight and navigation school in Pensacola, Florida andwas involved in the orchestration of a special avionics branch to handle unique electonic warfare gear. Her training qualified her to be a naval flight officer in control of the weapons system in the EA-7 and EA-3. As a reservist, she has flown several hundred hours in the back seat of tactical jets, an experience she describes as "exhilarating." She has also worked in designing space shuttle software and systems and is currently a systems engineer for flight management systems for an avionics company in Kirkland. "Over the past years we have been changing the way planes navigate, using the Global Positioning System (GPS) ," she said. "The challenges still are there, they are just different. We are trying to pack more airplanes into the same space. Pilots can know where they are now with more precision."

Commander Eastwick has been active in the Naval Reserve Air Systems Command since she was discharged from active duty in 1988. Whidbey Island Naval Air Reserve Commanding Officer Captain Tom Jones said that Commander Eastwick was selected to command the Naval Air Systems Command Reserve Unit by a board of senior officers in Washington, D.C. "She was chosen from among a group of extremely qualified officers throughout the United States--an indication of her superb professionalism and dedication."