Welcome home CVW-17,VFA-81,VAW-125, VRC-40 det. 5 and SEAOPDET VOLUME 52 NO. 20
MAY 17, 2012
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA
INSIDEJET
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DAM NECK ANNEX
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CHAMBERS FIELD
CHANGE OF COMMAND FOR VFA-211
HEROES AT HOME HONORS SPOUSES
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JONES EARNS CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR
PAGE 6 Montgomery Gentry will perform a free concert, sponsored by MWR, at Naval Station Norfolk’s STORY/PHOTOS BY MC3 SCOTT PITTMAN Vista Point, May Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs 18. Gates open at USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea — Cmdr. John Bixby 5 p.m., concert at relieved Cmdr. James A. McCall as commanding 7. Those without officer (CO) of the “Checkmates” of Strike FightDoD stickers are er Squadron (VFA) 211 in an airborne change of command ceremony in the skies over the deto enter Gate 2, ployed aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) off Hampton Bou- May 7. Bixby and McCall both flew in F/A-18F Super levard. For more Hornets assigned to VFA-211 as they read their information, visit orders, with McCall giving the final flight lead to www.discoverBixby as they flew over Enterprise. mwr.com. “Now it’s just a matter of taking the baton from
MAIN: Cmdr. James A. McCall, outgoing commanding officer of the “Checkmates” of VFA-211, and Cmdr.
John Bixby, incoming CO of the Checkmates, perform a change of command ceremony above the flight deck of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) May 7. LEFT: McCall waits in his F/A-18F Super Hornet before the in-flight change of command. Cmdr. McCall and keeping the squadron going down the right path,” said Bixby.“As one man, I cannot change how well the squadron performs, it’s a matter of all 250 of our people doing what they do,and have been doing,to get the job done.” This deployment will be the final deployment for any squadron embarked aboard Enterprise, as the ship is scheduled to be decommissioned following its return to homeport in Norfolk, making this the last in-flight change of command the Checkmates will have over Enterprise. “I’m an aviator,so anything we can do in a jet is better than something we can do on the ground, and I’m all for that,” said Bixby. In his departing thoughts, McCall said leaving
while his squadron was still flying combat missions was the best way he could think to depart. “As for the Checkmates,it has been the greatest honor of my career to lead this team. It’s made up of a tremendous group of Sailors who are dedicated to their craft and our country,”said McCall. “I know Americans can sleep safely at night with this team out here doing what we’re doing today.” Shortly after the ceremony, McCall departed Enterprise to report to his new command, Joint Theater Air. With the completion of the change of command,VFA-211 pilots will continue to fly combat missions in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.