NAS Meridian recaps busy 2024, looks toward future goals
Published 4:32 pm Monday, February 3, 2025
Capt. Luke Davis, commanding officer on board Naval Air Station Meridian, gives his annual State of the Base address Monday to military and community leaders. Photos by Thomas Howard
Members of the NAS Meridian color guard prepare to post the colors prior to the national anthem Monday during the annual State of the Base breakfast.
Capt. Luke Davis, left, recognizes East Mississippi Electric Power Association for its contributions to Naval Air Station Meridian during the annual State of the Base breakfast Monday. Pictured, from left, are Davis, EMEPA Navy Facilities Superintendent Brent Lofton, EMEPA Director of System Services Brent Mabry and EMEPA CEO Randy Carroll.
Capt. Luke Davis, left, recognizes Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency for its contributions to Naval Air Station Meridian during the annual State of the Base breakfast Monday. Accepting the award are LEMA Director Odie Barrett, center, and LEMA Deputy Director Greg Chatham.
Lee Thaggard, of Barry, Thaggard and May LLP, who also serves as board attorney for the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors, right, is recognized for his efforts helping NAS Meridian on Monday by Capt. Luke Davis, commanding officer on board NAS Meridian.
The past 12 months have been busy on board Naval Air Station Meridian, sailors, marines and local community leaders were told Monday as they gathered for the third annual State of the Base Breakfast.
Capt. Luke Davis, commanding officer on board NAS Meridian, said 2024 was full of achievements for naval installation as it continues its work to promote mission readiness and grow its connections with the surrounding community.
In December, he said, NAS Meridian signed a memorandum of understanding with The Mississippi Air National Guard’s 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field to assist with public works projects at the Navy base. Through the MOU, airmen with the 186th’s civil engineering unit gain access to training on heavy equipment needed to perform their duties, and NAS Meridian is able to tackle some projects previously set on the back burner.
The agreement allows airmen to stay local while training and reduces travel costs, Davis said.
“Up until now, they’ve been sending their folks off across the country to get this kind of exposure, and it’s been costing a lot of money,” he said. “In fact, the kickoff was this last week. This was our first full weekend of doing projects.”
Working with Lauderdale County officials, NAS Meridian has also been able to double its amount of property easements surrounding the installation over the past two years, Davis said. The base, working with county supervisors, has acquired 1,360 acres of property bordering the base to create a security buffer. The additional land doubles the buffer NAS Meridian had previously, he said.
NAS also works closely with Mississippi State University, Meridian Airport Authority and assists with Northeast Lauderdale High School’s JROTC and its SeaPerch aquatic robotics program, Davis said.
“They come up to the base and do their practices here,” he said. “We’re happy to see them.”
In 2024, NAS Meridian sailors completed 4,091 hours of volunteer service to the community, donated 795 pounds of food and donated 260 toys. Navy air traffic controllers completed 118,534 total flight hours with both military and civilian aircraft and Naval aviators flew 27,164 sorties, Davis said.
“In 2024, 78 naval aviators, 41 marines and 14 international aviators earned their wings of gold here in Meridian,” he said.
NAS Meridian’s first responders, including emergency management, fire and security forces, scored extremely well on inspections in 2024, Davis said, putting the base near the top among Naval installations. Security forces also gained certifications for explosives detecting dogs in the past year, adding that resource to both the base and surrounding communities when needed, he said.
“The nearest explosives unit is in Canton, Mississippi, which is about a five or six hour call,” he said. “We look forward to that and look forward to making that available in the areas around here.”
Looking forward, Davis said NAS Meridian is beginning to look at upgrades and modifications to its hangers and other facilities needed to house the next generation of training aircraft. Currently, he said, Naval aviators train on the T-45 Goshawk, but a new aircraft is expected to be rolled out by 2035.
Plans to refit NAS Meridian’s facilities are expected to break ground by 2030, Davis said, preparing the base to continue training Naval aviators for decades to come. In both reflecting on the past and looking to the future, he said NAS Meridian is fortunate to have the support of the surrounding community and the partnerships that help it fulfill its mission of training Naval aviators.
“It is a wonderful place to be as a military commander here, and I’m grateful for the wonderful community and the state that supports us day to day and helps make our mission successful here in Meridian.”
