Michael Poe

After serving as the commander of Training Squadron 7 for 18 months, Cmdr. Steven Vitrella will move on from the Naval Air Station Meridian to be Air Boss of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Comdr. Michael Poe will relieve Vitrella in a ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 3 at NAS Meridian.

Vitrella oversaw 23 training detachments, flew 24,173 sorties totaling 26,272 flight hours and conducted 1,740 carrier arrested landings. Under his guidance, 107 Naval aviators and 17 international military officers received wings in addition to 36 instructor pilot designations. 

Poe, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served as the squadron’s executive officer under Vitrella and earned his “Wings of Gold” in Kingsville, Texas before serving onboard the USS George Washington and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004.

Poe flew the FA-18 while deployed onboard the USS John C. Stennis in support of Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom in 2010 and in 2014 supported Operation Inherent Resolve onboard the USS Carl Vinson.

Poe earned a master’s degree in National Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island in 2015 and, following graduation, was assigned to joint duty working for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command in Panama City, Florida at the Tyndall Air Force Base.