Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Michelle Tucker | PENSACOLA, Fla. (Aug. 6, 2021) Chief of Naval Air Training Rear Adm. Robert...... read more read more
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Training Air Wing (TW) 6 held a change of command ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Aug. 5.
Capt. Kenneth “Muscle” Russell relieved Capt. Scott “Mongo” Janik as TW-6 commodore, the Navy’s singular undergraduate naval flight officer (NFO) training air wing.
“I am excited to hand the reins of Training Wing 6 over to Capt. Ken “Muscle” Russell,” Janik said. “It has been an honor to serve all the warriors of TW-6 as the commodore for the past three years. We have been through a dizzying time with hurricanes, a pandemic and a variety of other challenges that we had to overcome to accomplish our mission. I was constantly amazed at the energy, resilience and efforts of each individual as we faced these challenges and continued to produce outstanding naval flight officers for the United States and our partner nations. Thank you all for your hard work and giving me the ride of a lifetime!”
Retired Navy Capt. Dan McCort served as the guest speaker. McCort was commodore of TW-6 when Janik received his Wings of Gold 25 years ago.
“Mongo, as I’ve had a chance to watch you and your career progress,” McCort said. “You’ve grown both as an officer and an aviator. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your work, your service, your time, your effort and what you’ve done for the command. Congratulations on a job well done.”
Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) Rear Adm. Robert Westendorff presided over the ceremony and presented Janik with the Legion of Merit for his exceptionally meritorious conduct while serving as commodore.
“Capt. Janik has made such a huge impact on the future of Naval Aviation,” Westendorff said. “The pace of operations has been incredible and under his stellar leadership, we graduated more than 770 naval flight officers. He led the team to success and now those men and women are ready to answer the nation’s call to protect our country and its interests. Thank you, Mongo, for the tireless enthusiasm you bring to the table every day and for all you’ve done for Training Air Wing 6.”
Janik, a native of Corvallis, Oregon, led his team to complete more than 48,000 sorties, 55,000 flight hours, and 81,000 simulator hours during his tenure. He will continue his naval service as director of the Naval School of Aviation Safety at NAS Pensacola.
Russell, a native of Olathe, Kansas, earned his Wings of Gold at Randolph Air Force Base (AFB) in Texas in 1999. He has accumulated more than 4,000 operational flight hours over five flying tours and most recently served as branch chief for C4I Airborne Platforms (J613) and division chief for Command Centers Division (J36) at U.S. Strategic Command Headquarters at Offutt AFB in Nebraska.
“I am honored to have the privilege to lead and serve this superior team of aviation professionals,” Russell said. “As is our legacy, we will continue to overcome brisk headwinds as they arise with the resilience to produce the finest flight officers in the world – sending aviators to the fleet that are ready to fight and win in combat.”
Training Air Wing 6 is unique in the CNATRA enterprise in that it conducts primary, intermediate, and advanced NFO training all at one location. This is accomplished by three separate training squadrons: Training Squadron (VT) 10, VT-4 and VT-86. Additionally, the 2nd German Air Force Training Squadron (2nd GAF) is an integral part of the TW-6 International Military Training program.
For more information about TW-6, visit https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/tw6/
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2021 14:03 |
| Story ID: | 402659 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FL, US |
| Hometown: | CORVALLIS, OR, US |
| Hometown: | OLATHE, KS, US |
| Hometown: | PENSACOLA, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 1,512 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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