BARKING SANDS — Capt. Brian W. Moss will relieve Capt. James A. Bowlin as Commanding Officer of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in a change of command ceremony at Barking Sands on Monday, Nov. 22. The keynote speaker for
BARKING SANDS — Capt. Brian W. Moss will relieve Capt. James A. Bowlin as Commanding Officer of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in a change of command ceremony at Barking Sands on Monday, Nov. 22.
The keynote speaker for the change of command will be Rear Admiral John W. Townes, II, Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific and Commander, Naval Region Hawaii.
Numerous military officials and civilian dignitaries have been invited to the 4 p.m. ceremony, which will be held on the parade grounds adjacent to the PMRF headquarters.
Moss entered the Navy as an aviation officer candidate at Pensacola, Fla., in October 1972 after graduating from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Following his designation as a naval aviator in December 1973, he reported to Training Squadron Four (VT-4), Naval Air Station Pensacola as an advanced jet flight instructor.
After training in the A-6E Intruder with Attack Squadron 42, Moss reported to Attack Squadron 176 at NAS Oceana, Va., in May 1978.
He made two extended deployments with the “Thunderbolts” aboard the USS Independence to the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans.
Moss’ next assignment was to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Five at China Lake, Calif., where he served as a weapons delivery project pilot.
In 1982, he attended the British Test Pilot School and, upon completion, reported to the Carrier Suitability Branch at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. During his tour of duty with Attack Squadron 35 in 1984, he served as both operations officer and maintenance officer while completing two deployments to the Mediterranean and one to the North Atlantic aboard the USS Nimitz.
Upon completion of his tour with the “Black Panthers,” Moss returned to the Naval Air Test Center in July 1987 where he served for two years as the head of TACAIR Technology Department (for advanced technologies) at SATD.
In December 1989, he reported to VAQ-142 as the executive officer, and in December 1990 assumed command. In March 1991, he disestablished the Grim Watchdogs for VAQ-142 and transferred the billets to a pre-established unit for VAQ-35’s June 1991 establishment.
He commanded VAQ-35 until his change of command in September 1991.
Following completion of Defense Systems Management School in Fort Belvoir, Va., in 1993, Moss reported to NAVAIRSYSCOM PEO(T) in Washington D.C. where he served as the EA-6B program manager. In June 1997 he reported to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) as the Director of Test and Engineering Resources (DET).
He has accumulated over 5,000 flight hours, 911 carrier arrested landings, and has flown more than 20 aircraft types.
Moss is married to the former Yvonne Rae Potter of Lexington Park, Md. They have three children: Robert, Edward and Jason.
Bowlin, who assumed command of the Pacific Missile Range Facility on June 10, 1997, will join his wife, Deborah and children, Nathan and Sarah, for Thanksgiving in Florida before reporting at his next duty station at the Office of the Chief of Naval Research in Arlington, Va.
