Pensacola update 6-16-12

We're moving to....... Norfolk, VIRGINIA! Andrew made his request for his first duty station! He has been officially assigned (but still awaiting orders) to work in the "Rawhide" squadron VRC-40 (Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Four Zero).  He will be assigned to the C-2A Greyhounds which are high priority planes that provide carrier onboard delivery (COD) which can be cargo, mail, or personnel.  These planes also have provided disaster relief in Haiti. This squadron is 1 of 2 in the entire Navy and the "Rawhides" recently reached one of the highest honors in Aviation Safety by successfully completing 25 years of class "A" mishap free flying. From what Andrew has heard, he will be deployed anywhere from Norway to the Middle East, all the way down to South America, most likely in the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. This plane does not take off or land on a carrier at night and because of it's large size does not stay on a carrier long.  This means much of his deployment will be spent on land staying in hotels and eating a local restaurants but working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, sometimes only having 1 day off a month. There is a 90% chance that these orders will stick but we have to wait until they officially "pop" to be 100% sure.  We are excited about what the future holds but are still unsure of when our future move will take place. We are anticipating a fall transition. 

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRC-40

http://www.touchdown-aviation.com/reports/2006/vrc-40-rawhides.php

In the meantime, Andrew began his 2nd round of classes on June 13th called "AWAT" which stands for Aviation Warfare Apprenticeship Training Course. He is learning basic safety of aviation, the ins and outs of being on a ship and on shore.  It is not specific to his job yet; every member of the Navy goes through this training.  Some focus areas of this course include: safety, HAZMAT, aircraft handling, flight deck awareness, understanding manuals, corrosion control, planned maintenance, and sealants. This short course is 7 training days and then he'll move into his final AE STRAND where he learns about his rate (job). From AE STRAND, Andrew will go to Virginia for C-school. This is where he will learn his specific aircraft platform (C-2A Greyhounds).


When looking toward the future, Andrew and I are excited to explore the east coast.  You may not know but Andrew's dad was stationed at Langley AFB in Virginia when Andrew was in 1st to 4th grade and at the Pentagon (D.C.) for 7th and 8th grade.  Their family has many friends in the area who we look forward to seeing and Andrew's parents look forward to re-connecting with. Andrew also has an uncle, aunt, and three cousins who will be nearby as well.  We have also begun to research tourist spots and discovered we'll be 3 hours from D.C., 6 hours from the Big Apple, and right across from the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach. Let the adventures begin!!

Above is a photo of Andrew carrying the Navy flag at a Memorial Day gig at Veteran's Park in Pensacola.