Welcome to the First Commodore’s Corner!

By CAPT Shawn “OPIE” Bailey, USN

As my time HSCWINGLANT winds down, I have been reflecting on the concept of community. Communities are groups of people who share common attributes and goals. The strength of the community is directly proportional to the strength of connection among its members. Many things bind us together in our rotary wing / tiltrotor community: service, sacrifice, devotion to country, our defense of the constitution, our distinctive missions across the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and the unique cross connections among our sea services as we operate, fight, and win together. I have been blessed to operate with Marines and Coast Guardsmen at home and aboard in my time in the Navy. The relationships we forged were key to mission success and those people remain a part of my life to this day. NHA is one of the primary connectors in our community that propagates knowledge, understanding of who we are as warriors, and brings us together despite distance, time, and challenge. As an example, consider the recent success of our first Virtual Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In that brought the Fleet together with Student Naval Aviators of all the sea services despite COVID-19, allowing them to get up close with their future platform and the squadrons, pilots, and aircrewmen who fly them. It was another great event put on by TRAWING 5, a host of uniform volunteers, and the Naval Helicopter Association (NHA).

From time to time, I get the question: “Why join NHA?” from every company which support naval rotary wing on The short answer is that NHA is more than a magazine the exhibition floor, NHA connects you personally to people subscription or a social group. It is your professional across the entire community. The symposium brings in organization that connects you with your brothers and sisters briefers from all over Naval Aviation to cover procurement, around the world, no matter where you are, or which sea design and construction, operations and implementation, service you belong. It connects us to the legacy left to us by future platforms, weapon systems and simulator modeling, those who have gone before. This is far more than any other career information, transition assistance, and higher education “subscription” will do for you. opportunities. Topping it off are several social events that bring old friends together and offer opportunities to network

NHA was founded on November 2, 1971 to be an advocate with mentors and leaders. If you are wondering what is going for the naval vertical flight community – Navy, Marine Corps, on in the community, or in the minds of our top leaders, you and Coast Guard. Its mission is to support and showcase will find answers at symposium. rotary wing aviation and you. NHA seeks to promote the accomplishments, attributes, and utilization of vertical lift When you graduated from flight school and earned your aircraft across our sea services, while providing recognition wings, you received your first set from NHA. I still have and enhancing the prestige of our community. It also seeks to mine, pinned on by my wife in June 1997 – inscribed with inform, educate, and connect its members, as well as provide “Compliments of NHA.” a forum for discussion of the advancement of the rotary wing / tiltrotor community. NHA is recognized by senior naval leadership as a professional group that fosters camaraderie and esprit de corps, and provides a voice to junior officers, naval aircrew, maintainers, and senior Navy leadership and industry partners.

Our annual symposium provides you with unique access to every level of leadership in our community. The naval rotary wing / tiltrotor community is distributed across services, several platforms, and deployment modes that span the gamut of warfare. Between the Flag Panel, O-6 Panels, Captains of Industry Panel, and access to Industry Leaders from every company which support naval rotary wing on the exhibition floor, NHA connects you personally to people across the entire community. The symposium brings in briefers from all over Naval Aviation to cover procurement, design and construction, operations and implementation, future platforms, weapon systems and simulator modeling, career information, transition assistance, and higher education opportunities. Topping it off are several social events that bring old friends together and offer opportunities to network with mentors and leaders. If you are wondering what is going on in the community, or in the minds of our top leaders, you will find answers at symposium.

When you graduated from flight school and earned your wings, you received your first set from NHA. I still have mine, pinned on by my wife in June 1997 – inscribed with “Compliments of NHA.”

NHA and industry partners sponsor a host of awards given at the regional and national levels to recognize and promote the accomplishments of the squadrons, units, and people of naval rotary wing. These awards recognize pilots, aircrewmen, rescue swimmers, maintenance officers, enlisted maintainers, shipboard aviators, and community leaders across all our services. This past year the national winners came from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

NHA affords you opportunities to enhance your network of professional colleagues. With over 2,000, members, you have a unique resource of people with similar interests and concerns. NHA and this professional network are accessible through Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, Instagram, and an expanding array of social media tools. Considering transitioning to civilian life? The “rotary wing / tiltrotor network” is strong and enriching if you tap into it. NHA connects you to mentors who can help you transition – the people you met while you were in the service can benefit you even after you transition, illuminating opportunities for the rest of your professional career and personal life.

NHA helps to sponsor professional and social functions in the six regions. Whether you are state side or FDNF, you can participate in professional and social events and share in the camaraderie of our profession. Chapter meetings, regional events, and outings are a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills, share sea stories with other aviators and aircrew who face similar challenges that you do, and contribute to the overall organization.

The NHA Scholarship Fund provides competitive scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students each year. It is truly a worthy cause, giving opportunity to children of our own war fighting team as well as active-duty service members. Win a scholarship or help someone you know win a scholarship.

The NHA Historical Society preserves our heritage in a multitude of ways, connecting us with our past and promoting activities for the retired community. It honors those who have passed on with Signal Charlie and tribute articles, highlighting the legacy they have passed on to us.

Of course, you do get an enriching digital magazine. Rotor Review showcases the people, the units, the aircraft, the history, and the Fleet that make up our incredible calling.

Interestingly, to enjoy some of the fruits of NHA, you do not have to join. NHA will give you a set of wings, honor you with an award, and welcome you at events put on by the organization. But why wouldn’t you join an organization like that and get involved in the work that matters to your profession, share your perspective, and make a difference?

NHA is a vital part of the connective tissue that strengthens our rotary wing / tiltrotor community for all the sea services. It brings us together and connects us across generations, services, ranks, and expertise. It fosters these connections even after we have left the service. Being a part of that is truly something special!

Gearing up in HSC-2s hangar just prior to the flight during CAPT Bailey's Change of Command ceremony. RADM Meier is on the left followed by AWSCS Coulard, AWSC McManaman, and CAPT Bailey. CDRE Keys can be seen behind Senior and Chief with his visor down

CAPT Bailey's last flight in an MH-53E taken by LCDR Joe Moffit of HM-15.