Meridian Star

November 2, 2009

Change of Command


Cmdr. Doug Story, left, commanding officer of Training Air Wing One's Reserve Component, congratulates Cmdr. Daniel Robertson, incoming commanding officer of Training Squadron Nine's Squadron Augment Unit, as Cmdr. Neyland Springer, outgoing squadron commander looks on. Robertson took charge of the reserve unit during a brief change of command ceremony, Monday, on board Naval Air Station Meridian. Springer left active duty in June 1998 to pursue a career as a civilian commercial pilot. Since that time he has continuously served in the Navy Reserves with Reserve Detachment 182 and VT-9 Augment Unit. Springer has accumulated more than 3,200 flight hours and 250 carrier arrested landings in Navy aircraft. Robertson left active duty in February 2004 to pursue a career as a civilian commercial pilot. He has continued to serve with the Reserve Component of TW-1 since leaving active duty. Robertson has flown more than 3,500 hours in Navy aircraft and logged more than 320 carrier arrested landings. Training Air Wing One Reserve Component is comprised of two squadron augment units. The reserve component began as Detachment 182. It was established in 1979 and was composed of eight officers. Its primary mission was to augment Training Air Wing One in the training of Naval Aviators to meet CNATRA training goals. Detachment 182 was officially commissioned as a reserve unit with a Commanding Officer in 1986. The detachment was re-designated Training Air Wing One Reserve Component on Oct. 1, 2002. Also on this date Squadron Augment Unit (SAU) Seven and Squadron Augment Unit (SAU) Nine were commissioned. Both of TW-1's reserve augment units employ about 60 Navy and Marine Corps reserve pilots who work an average of six days a month training student aviators at TW-1.