Squadron Update - HSMWSP

Skipper’s Parting Remarks and Regime Handoff Serve as a Solemn Reminder to Be Ready

By LT Elisha "Grudge" Clark, USN

Ona characteristically crystal-clear San Diego Thursday, CDR Kevin “Shak” Shikuma relinquished his duty as HSMWSP Commanding Officer to CDR Robert “Wrecks” Belflower, and with that, closed the last chapter of his time on active duty. On February 15th 2024, with both their families in tow, they braved the relentless winds that lashed over the bow of USS Midway. The scene perfectly modeled the time the ship had spent underway years ago carrying then IS3 Richard, now HSM Commodore Richard, who served as the ceremony’s honored speaker.

“One of the best parts about Naval Aviation is, if you stick around long enough, you cross paths with almost everyone in the community,” said CDR Shikuma in his introductory remarks. He went on to share a warming anecdote, proving his case. “For Commodore Richard and I, our paths have crossed enough that I could say he is partly responsible for the way I turned out, good or bad. When I showed up at HSL-40 fresh out of flight school in 2005, a then LT Richard instructed one of my first events in the Seahawk. Fast forward a few years, we served together at HSL-48 and LCDR Richard sat on my Aircraft Commander Board - which I barely passed and I’m still not sure which way he voted. Jump a decade later, I have had the honor of serving with now CAPT Richard.”

Commodore’s remarks confirmed their student instructor relationship, clarifying that the flight event they’d had at HSL40 was not particularly memorable, which is usually indicative of a successful syllabus flight. CAPT Richard recalled the last time he roamed the halls of USS Midway, at a time when the world looked different. He stressed the importance of the HSM, Rotary Force, and Naval Aviation Community as the world order is being defined and redefined.

CAPT Richard concluded his remarks by highlighting the pride he felt for the two officers sitting beside him. As CDR Shikuma retook the stage, he paid tribute to his Sailors, friends, and family in attendance. He also circled back to a subject that has been in the front of every Naval Aviator’s mind since four Houthi pirates met their fate in the Straits of Hormuz. What direction are we headed next?

“When I said my oath as a Midshipman in 1999, the world was different. The U.S. stood alone as the single major power. There were no peer competitors that posed risk of large-scale maritime conflict. 9/11 shifted the Navy’s focus from maintaining maritime supremacy to supporting the ground forces engaged in the prolonged Global War on Terror. Fast forward a couple decades and the global landscape has changed completely. The rapid rise of China and the Great Power Competition that accelerated in the 2010s, is now the focus. China’s rapidly expanding capability, coupled with their determination to revise the rules-based order, and threaten their neighbor, has created a sense of urgency for the United States and our allies and partners to be prepared.”

As CDR Shikuma concluded his remarks, CDR Belflower took the stage. With the wind at his back and the servicemembers he would lead as Commanding Officer before him, he put forth his vision for the HSM Weapons School in the years to come and acknowledged continued dedication to its mission.

"At HSM Weapons School, we strive to live up to the SWTI ideal, to be humble, approachable, and credible in our quest to ensure every squadron and detachment that goes over the horizon is a deterrent to any potential foe, and if deterrence fails, is ready to fight and win in combat.”

The uncertainty of our world today shapes how we prepare for tomorrow. Rising tensions oceans away are difficult to fathom on the backdrop of a crystal-clear day aboard a flight deck that now serves as a relic of only a few years. But such is the dilemma of a peacetime military. War is a scenario that is difficult to imagine, but it must be imagined for there to be any hope of victory. The only option is to Be Ready.

“Shak embodies the Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor ideal of a humble, approachable, and credible leader, and we thank him for his incredible service."

“This team punches well above their weight and has made an extraordinary impact, not just across HSM and Naval Aviation, but across the Joint Force.”