CAG 11 Has A New Skipper

Posted By Pinch

On August 1st, in the western Pacific, a F/A-18E and a F/A-18F launched off USS Nimitz to engage in the time honored ceremony of a change of command.  The two aircraft weren't going to a change of command - they were the change of command.  My old VF-14 squadron mate Captain Tom "Trim" Downing was taking over the airwing from Captain Dave Woods in what is not all that rare of an event, really, these days - an airborne CoC.

Trim, in the years since we left VF-14, has gone on to be a Top Gun instructor, command a Hornet squadron (VFA-136), led strikes into Afghanistan, led the Strike division at Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at Fallon, been Deputy Commander of CVW 11 since July of 06 and is now CAG (Commander, Air Wing).  In short, he's one of the best and his whole career has prepared him for this job.

PACIFIC OCEAN (JULY 31, 2007) - Capt. Michael Manazir, commanding officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Capt. David Woods, former Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Capt. Thomas Downing, commander CVW-11, fly by the Nimitz in a F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets during an airborne change of command ceremony for CVW-11. The Nimitz Strike Group and embarked Carrier Air Wing 11 are deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Brian Knoll (RELEASED)

Nimitz is currently in the Western Pacific on a 6-month deployment which will include more time on the line in the Arabian Gulf.   The Navy News article on the CoC is here.

More pics are over at the Instapinch, including a group shot when we all put on our lieutenant bars back in the late summer of 1987 while on our first Med cruise.

Congrats, Trim! 

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CAG 11 Has A New Skipper

On August 1st, in the western Pacific, a F/A-18E and a F/A-18F launched off USS Nimitz to engage in the time honored ceremony of a change of command.  The two aircraft weren't going to a change of command - they were the change of command.  My old VF-14 squadron mate Captain Tom "Trim" Downing was taking over the airwing from Captain Dave Woods in what is not all that rare of an event, really, these days - an airborne CoC.

Trim, in the years since we left VF-14, has gone on to be a Top Gun instructor, command a Hornet squadron (VFA-136), led strikes into Afghanistan, led the Strike division at Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at Fallon, been Deputy Commander of CVW 11 since July of 06 and is now CAG (Commander, Air Wing).  In short, he's one of the best and his whole career has prepared him for this job.

PACIFIC OCEAN (JULY 31, 2007) - Capt. Michael Manazir, commanding officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Capt. David Woods, former Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Capt. Thomas Downing, commander CVW-11, fly by the Nimitz in a F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets during an airborne change of command ceremony for CVW-11. The Nimitz Strike Group and embarked Carrier Air Wing 11 are deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Brian Knoll (RELEASED)

Nimitz is currently in the Western Pacific on a 6-month deployment which will include more time on the line in the Arabian Gulf.   The Navy News article on the CoC is here.

More pics are over at the Instapinch, including a group shot when we all put on our lieutenant bars back in the late summer of 1987 while on our first Med cruise.

Congrats, Trim! 

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