By Staff
special to The Star
Aug. 15, 2003
There will be a Naval aviator designation ceremony today, at 3:30 p.m., in the chapel at Naval Air Station Meridian.
The Naval aviator designation ceremony is not required by regulations, but has emerged as a U.S. Navy tradition.
It marks the culmination of nearly two years of specialized training, which has prepared these officers for the aerial combat and carrier operations earning each the title of "Naval aviator" and the right to wear the coveted "Wings of Gold."
Capt. John M. Pruitt Jr., commanding officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola, will be the guest speaker.
The class carrier-qualified July 17-18 in the T-45C "Goshawk" on board the USS Harry S. Truman and earned Navy "E for Excellence" designations for bombing accuracy during Advanced Strike Training.
Fifteen U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators and one French navy pilot will get their wings:
1st Lt. Landon Allen who earned two Navy "E" designations;
Lt. Luke Barradell, who was an F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer in VF-31 prior to commencing jet flight training. During Primary Flight Training, he was VT-3's Student of the Month for April 2002 and was named to the Commodore's List. He earned three Navy "E" designations;
Lt. j.g. Ryan Beaty, who earned four Navy "E" designations;
Lt. Cmdr. Roderick Borgie, who, prior to commencing jet flight training, served as the flight surgeon for Carrier Air Group 9 from 1999-2001. He was named to the Commodore's List for academic achievement during Primary Flight Training, and earned one Navy "E" designation;
Lt. j.g. Michael Britt, who was named to the Commodore's List during Primary Flight Training. He earned one Navy "E" designation;
Lt. j.g. Thomas Flora, who was named to the Commodore's List with distinction, and received the Chief of Naval Air Training Distinguished Graduate Award and the Academic Achievement Award during Primary Flight Training. He earned four Navy "E" designations;
1st Lt. Eric Geyer, who earned three Navy "E" designations;
Lt. j.g. Brian Kesselring, who received the Chief of Naval Air Training Distinguished Graduate Award and was named to the Commodore's List during Primary and Intermediate Flight Training. He was named VT-9's Student of the Month for June 2002 during Intermediate Flight Training and earned four Navy "E" designations;
Lt. Travis Mann, who, prior to commencing jet flight training, was winged a Naval flight officer in December 1999. He completed S-3 Viking Fleet Replacement Squadron training in San Diego and served in Sea Control Squadron 30 deployed on the USS George Washington. He was named to the Commodore's List during Primary Flight Training;
Lt. j.g. Nathaniel Robbins, who earned one Navy "E" designation;
Ensign Thomas Ryckeboer, French navy, who earned two Navy "E" designations;
Lt. j.g. Nicholas Saunders, who was named to the Commodore's List during Primary Flight Training. He earned two Navy "E" designations;
Lt. j.g. Marc Stirton;
Lt. j.g. Timothy Tuschinski;
1st Lt. Steven Wallace, who was named to the Commodore's List during Primary Flight Training and earned three Navy "E" designations; and
1st Lt. Nicholas Wineman, who earned five Navy "E" designations.