John Schmelzle, Mechanical Engineer, NAVAIR
John Schmelzle is currently the AIR-4.8 Additive Manufacturing and Model-Based Definition Initiative Lead.In this role he is working with a NAVAIR command-wide team to further explore 3D printing and its potential to rapidly respond to urgent fleet needs.
Mr. Schmelzle joined NAVAIR in 1986 after graduating from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His first position was in the Tool Control Program and was followed a year later by a systems engineering role in the Support Equipment (SE) Engineering Department. He was later selected for the two-year NAVAIR Leadership Development Program. Upon graduating from the program, he returned to the SE design area where he was tasked with finding a solution to the V-22 deck heating problem.
For his work, Mr. Schmelzle has received the prestigious NAWCAD Area Commander’s award three times and was also selected at the People’s Choice Award winner and NAVAIR’s agency winner for the Federal Engineer of the Year Award in 2013.
In addition to a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Mr. Schmelzle holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University. Mr. Schmelzle is a certified NAVAIR AIRSpeed Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a licensed professional engineer in the state of New Jersey, and the current President of the Joing Base at Lakehurst Chapter of the Naval Civilian Managers Association.