Will Rendezvous.....with notes from the world of Naval Aviation: Changes of Command

Wings of Gold, Spring 2004

Changes of Command

CDR William Hall relieved CDR Sean Phinney as CO of VR-58's Sunseekers based at NAS Jacksonville, Florida. USMC LCOL J. Scott Walsh, relieved CDR Michael J. Rimmington CO of VT-6, NAS Whiting Field, Florida.

Also at Whiting Field, CDR Sally deGozzaldi relieved CDR Charles Laingen as CO of HT-8. HT-8 has won the 2003 CNATRA Training Excellence Award, surpassing 929,000 hours over 28 years without a major mishap.

CDR Stephen R. Foley has been selected to command the Blue Angels for the 2005-2006 season.

CAPT Mark Storch relieved CAPT Alex Hnarakis as CO of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California.

The new Commander Airborne Early Warning Wing, U.S. Pacfic Fleet is CAPT Harry Robinson. he relieved CAPT Roger Jaskot.

CDR Edward J. Baron relieved CDR Kevin W. Ruce as CO of the VS-31 Topcats while deployed on board USS George Washington.

VT-2. VT-2 has received the first CNATRA Active/ Reserve Integration Excellence Award. RADM Daniel L. Kloeppel, Commander Naval Air Reserve, was the keynote speaker for the presentation along with Naval Reserve Association (NRA) President, CAPT John Lindell, USN (Ret.) and Dean Fournier of L-3 Vertex. The ceremony took place at NRA's Spring Conference in San Francisco in April. VT-2 flew more than 25,000 hours of which the Squadron Augmentation Unit (SAU) flew more than 5,700. The command completed 220 Student Naval Aviators, exeeding CNATRAs 2003 production goals. Left to right in the picture are Fournier, VT-2 XO CDR Dave Manero, VT-2 SAU CO CDR Reed Dunne, RADM Koeppel, and CAPT Lindell.

CDR Karl O. Thomas relieved CDR Christopher W. Plummer as CO of VAW-117, NAS Point Mugu, California.

VQ-4's new CO, CDR Gary H. Foster, relieved CDR Thomas J. Maser at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

VP-9's new CO is CDR Rodney M. Urbano. he relieved CDR Daniel G. Rieck.

CDR David Fox of VFA-131 was relieved by CDR Gregg Sears while deployed aboard USS George Washington.

CDR Mike Coury relieved CDR John Geragotelis as CO of VAQ-131 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.

At NAS Corpus Christi, Texas CDR Will M. Moore, Jr. relieved CDR David R. Price as CO of VT-28.

VT-86's new CO is CDR Peter Hall. He relieved USMC LCOL Justin B. Orabona

VP-26. T.K. Dudley photographed this P-3C from the VP-26 Tridents landing at its home base, NAS Brunswick, Maine earlier this year.