In Person: AEDC Fellows Banquet speaker Dr. Charles McQueary

  • Published
  • By Janae' Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Dr. Charles McQueary, the former director of operational test and evaluation for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, took a tour of Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) prior to speaking at the annual Fellows Banquet June 25. 

Although this was his first trip to AEDC, he recalls working with AEDC personnel when he worked on the Safeguard Antiballistic Missile System at Bell Laboratories in Whippany, N.J., from 1966-1971. Subsequently, he was head of the Missile Operations Department on Kwajalein from 1971-1973. 

"I worked on rocket motors for the Spartan and Sprint missiles so I know of AEDC," he explained. "Certainly the kind of things we were doing would have required facilities like these here." 

Dr. McQueary said he realized two things while on tour: impressive facilities and an enthusiastic work force. 

"One certainly is the extent and size of the facilities and capabilities you have here," he said. "The other and I always look for this when I visit different places - is the enthusiasm of the people that you get a chance to talk to. I saw that over and over in the people I interacted with here. 

When you see enthusiastic people who are knowledgeable about what they do, you know that they care about it." 

Having a career in science and engineering helps Dr. McQueary understand the need and importance of keeping a facility like AEDC around for years to come.

"A place such as this is an absolutely essential ingredient for the country to maintain its number one position in the world while being able to deal with anything aerodynamic, whether in the air or space-based systems as well. 

"There is no question that the capabilities that are here are very important to maintain our preeminence in the world." 

Having met before at different events, Dr. Ed Kraft, AEDC chief technologist, knew Dr. McQueary's background and invited him to speak at this year's AEDC Fellows Banquet. 

"We selected Dr. McQueary for his pre-eminent politically appointed position as the Director of DOT&E [Directorate of Operations, Test and Evaluation]," Dr. Kraft said. "Colonel Huber and I have met Dr. McQueary in several forums where we have heard him speak and have always been impressed by his insights, his speaking abilities, as well as his approachability." 

Although Dr. McQueary retired from his appointed position in May, he still agreed to honor his commitment to speak at the Fellows Banquet. 

"I was really honored, and continue to be honored, to be included as a part of the process," he said. "I do very much like to see organizations that recognize excellence because I think what it does is stimulate other people to strive and want to be a part of something similar. 

"It's always good to see individuals being recognized, although so much of what goes on is really team efforts, there's still always senior leaders who make a big difference in the way things are actually done over the long haul." 

One of those recognized was Temple Bowling. He was recognized as a Lifetime Achievement Fellow for his more than 35 years of contribution and support to the center working in contracting and now as the deputy director of the center's 704th Mission Support Group. 

"It was an honor to be included in such a special group," Bowling said. "I believe it is important to recognize the individuals in the AEDC work force who have helped make AEDC the nationally recognized center that it is. Not only the Fellows awards but the many other ways like the quarterly and annual awards, professional society awards that we recognize our most important asset, our people." 

Dr. Charles "Chad" Limbaugh was also recognized as a Fellow at the AEDC Fellows Banquet. His primary focus was in the study of the physics of expanding non-thermal supersonic gas flows.

"Being selected as an AEDC Fellow is the high point of a career at AEDC," he explained. "The entire experience is memorable and humbling at the same time. To be recognized and included in this group is an unforgettable experience." 

In learning about the AEDC Fellows Program and its traditions, Dr. McQueary noticed on the list of prior speakers that he either met or knew individuals personally. 

"I actually met Gen. [Bernard] Schriever just a little less than a year before he passed away in 2005," he said. "I know Dr. Hans Mark, who spoke at last year's event, very well from my days at the University of Texas. 

"I am honored to be on the same list as these famous people."
Dr. McQueary said his speech had a two-fold message, but the topics were parallel to each other. 

His first message emphasized the importance and responsibility of people who have been recognized to carry on finding ways to succeed and contribute to their field.
"It isn't just a one-time thing," he explained. "Once someone has been recognized for a superior performance, they really do have an obligation to continue to do similar kinds of things." 

The second part of his speech focused on his perspective of the new development test and evaluation director position that is going to be added to the acquisition technology and logistics organization in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 

"I quite frankly think that position will have an important aspect to it that relates to what is being done here," he explained. "Because there is going to be more emphasis, I think, on examining what kind of test facilities are required, are those test facilities adequate and do they need to be upgraded because they are aging." 

Dr. McQueary believes this position will not only help at the local level, but also in Washington. 

"In times like these, having a person in a senior position who can focus on things that are really important to the overall infrastructure of the country of whether its development test or operational test is important." 

Even though he is now retired, Dr. McQueary still plans on staying up to date with the technical aspect of test and evaluation, but this time in a more supportive role. 

"I would like to keep my fingers in the technical side of things," he said. "I have not made any commitments to anyone at this point to do anything further, but I would like to stay somewhat involved in the Department of Defense. I have spent my entire career working in areas related to that, and I hope I have a bit more to contribute so I am going to 
look for opportunities to do that."