Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Curtis Spencer | JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (August 15, 2025) Cmdr. Louis Gerard, Commanding Officer Patrol...... read more read more
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (August 15, 2025) Cmdr. Louis P. Gerard relieved Cmdr. Nicholas A. Rueda as Commanding Officer of Patrol Squadron (VP) 30 Squadron Augment Unit (SAU). The ceremony was held on August 15, 2025 onboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Capt. Hamish Kirkland, Commanding Officer of VP-30, presided over the ceremony.
The SAU provides fully qualified Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR) and Selected Reserve (SELRES) instructors and maintenance personnel to support the production requirements of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS). The FRS provides P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) training to pilots, naval flight officers, and enlisted aircrew prior to reporting to the fleet.
Cmdr. Gerard is a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia and an alumnus of Auburn University. After commissioning in 2006, Cmdr Gerard completed training to become a P-3C Orion pilot and reported to the VP-16 “War Eagles” stationed at NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Following his time with the War Eagles, Cmdr Gerard was assigned to VP-30, the “Pro’s Nest,” as an FRS Instructor Pilot. Subsequent orders had him reporting to Washington, D.C. for an assignment with the Personnel Resource Development Office (PRDO).
Cmdr Gerard transitioned from Active-Duty service to the U.S. Naval Reserve in 2018, affiliating with the Operations and Plans Office in the Pentagon, Washington D.C. After moving back to Jacksonville, FL, he was once again attached to the Pro’s Nest, this time with the VP-30 SAU as a P-3C instructor pilot and MQ-4C Triton instructor pilot. During his tenure, he has served as the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) Officer, Operations Department Head, and most recently as the Executive Officer.
Cmdr. Rueda served with the VP-30 SAU since 2015 and assumed command in 2023. During his tenure as the Commanding Officer of the SAU, Cmdr Rueda established the capability to independently conduct Fleet NATOPS Evaluations for Maritime Support Wing P-8A squadrons. Additionally, he oversaw the development of a full SAU maintenance component capable of P-8A launch and recovery operations. The SAU achieved these impressive milestones while accounting for over 15% of FRS production events, despite comprising just 10% of VP 30 personnel.
Capt. Kirkland, presented Cmdr Rueda with the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding meritorious achievement as Commanding Officer.
As he approaches 20 years of service, Cmdr Rueda is thankful to his wife, Karen, and their six children for their unwavering support. He is proud to have spent nearly two decades in naval aviation, flying the world’s finest maritime patrol aircraft and training tomorrow’s leaders.
-VP-30-
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2025 11:29 |
| Story ID: | 549849 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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