Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 held a change of command ceremony aerially above Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, April 16.
As part of naval aviation tradition, Cmdr. Ronald H. Rumfelt, Jr. relieved Cmdr. Carl E. White III aerially as the nation continues to battle the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The change of command ceremony directly supports the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) guidance issued to the Navy, April 8. “We must ensure the health of the force. And we must be laser-focused on the Fleet – from manning to maintenance, and from training to warfighting. Operational readiness is our job … and every one of us has a role. Nobody sits the bench.”
Laser-focused on the VP-5 mission is what both Rumfelt and White are focused on. During White’s tenure as commanding officer his patrol squadron accomplished a myriad of objectives.
“Today is really about the men and women of VP-5. I am very proud and humbled by their success. Over the last year, they have excelled whenever called upon in any operational environment. The current pandemic threat is no different, VP-5 is and will remain focused on preparing for the next operational mission through dedicated teamwork and leadership,” said White.
White, a native of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, enlisted into the U.S. Navy in 1995 as an aviation warfare systems operator. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002 and obtained his commissioning in the U.S. Navy as an ensign, and designated as a naval flight officer in June 2003.
White, who led VP-5 for the last year, wished Rumfelt the best as he turned over reins of the patrol squadron.
“I am excited to see Cmdr. Rumfelt take over as CO, he is ready to lead the Mad Foxes during this dynamic time with the correct focus on our Sailors and our missions,” said White.
Originally from Los Angeles, Rumfelt enlisted in the Navy in 1995 as an aviation electronics technician. Four years later, Rumfelt was one of 50 Sailors selected for the Seaman-to-Admiral commissioning program. He graduated from the University of San Diego in 2003. He obtained his commissioning as an ensign and designated a naval aviator in November 2004.
In June of 2019, Rumfelt reported to VP-5 and assumed the duties of executive officer.
“It is an incredible honor to be following Cmdr. White as commanding officer of VP-5. Our shared values, vision, and commitment to the mission, as well as our commitment to the women and men of VP-5 makes for a seamless transition. Cmdr. White’s leadership, and overall talent of the Mad Foxes, ensures that we are prepared to answer the call for any mission, anywhere in the world,” said Rumfelt.
VP-5 is a direct report to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing (CPRW) 11, which is headquartered aboard NAS Jacksonville. VP-5 is part of the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, one of the oldest and most storied branches of naval aviation. VP-5 is comprised of more than 280 men and women who fly the Navy’s premier maritime patrol aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon. The Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force is the primary provider of long-range airborne anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance forces.
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2020 12:20 |
| Story ID: | 367557 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 350 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, VP-5 Holds Aerial Change of Command, by CPO Michael Cole, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
