Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
"IM A PILOT."
"IM A CORROSION TECHNICIAN."
"IM A PLANE CAPTAIN."
THESE ARE FACES OF STRIKE FIGHTER SQUADRON 27.
Lieutenant Dan Horgan-VFA-27 Pilot "VFA-27 IS ONE OF FOUR STRIKE FIGHTER SQUADRONS
IN CARRIER AIR WING FIVE. WE ARE TASK WITH BEING THE TIP OF THE SPEAR TO AMERICA'S 9-1-1
AIR WING HER, FORWARD DEPLOYED, IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN."
RIGHT NOW V-F-A 27 IS PREPARING TO LAUNCH TWELVE OF THEIR JETS ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE 13 NEW F-A-18-E SUPER HORNETS.
"I THINK THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THIS EVOLUTION, IS BEING THAT WE'RE FORWARD DEPLOYED
NAVAL FORCES, IS MAINTAINING THAT HIGH STATE OF READINESS THAT IS REQUIRED OF US AT THE
SAME TIME GROOMING THIRTEEN AIRCRAFT, AIR CREW, AND MAINTAINERS FOR A TRIP ACROSS THE
LARGEST BODY OF WATER ON EARTH."
THE ONLY TIME SQUADRONS ARE TASK WITH AN EVOLUTION LIKE THIS IS WHEN RELOCATING A COMMAND TO
OVERSEAS OR WHEN RECEIVING NEW JETS, MAKING THIS OPERATION A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.
"IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE IN MY TIME HERE, IS FLY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
OUR AIRPLANES AT THE SAME TIME SO TO GET EVERY THING READY FOR THAT, ITS TAKEN A MASSIVE
AMOUNT OF PLANNING, A YEARS WORTH OF PLANNING, AND ALSO IT TAKES ALL THE MAINTAINERS PULLING
TOGETHER AS A GROUP, WORKING EXTRA HOURS TO GET THE JOB DONE. SO IT'S A HUGE SINCE OF
PRIDE."
THIS HIGH PROFILE MISSION REQUIRES THESE SAILORS TO MAKE SURE EVERY "I" IS DOTTED AND EVERY
NOOK AND CRANNY CHECKED AND RECHECKED BEFORE TAKE OFF.
"THEY SEND THE BEST AN BRIGHTEST OUT TO THE FORWARD DEPLOYED NAVAL FORCES SO WE'RE ABLE
TO LEVERAGE THAT TALENT. WE'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM OF MAINTAINERS WORKING ON THESE JETS,
GROOMING THEM AND WE ARE TOTALLY PREPARED FOR THE TRIP ACROSS THE PACIFIC."
AS ONE PILOT DIPS HIS WINGS OVERHEAD, ANOTHER TAXIS OUT TO THE RUNWAY TO BEGIN THIS LONG
AND TAXING JOURNEY ACROSS THE PACIFIC. PETTY OFFICER MICHAEL STORY, YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE,
JAPAN.