By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Sloan,
WATERS NEAR HAWAII, USS George Washington – Cmdr. J. Scot Taylor relieved Cmdr. Ernest Winston as the commanding officer of the “Shadowhawks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 during an airborne change of command ceremony above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), Aug. 1.
Winston’s forward-deployed tour is just one of his many accomplishments as a naval aviator. He joined the Shadowhawks as the executive officer in January 2013 and later assumed command April 17, 2014. During his command, the Shadowhawks executed two Patrols in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility that consisted of multiple international exercises and earned a 2014 Aviation Battle “E” Award. Throughout his career, Winston has accumulated more than 3,000 combined flight hours in the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler.
“This has been the best job in my naval career,” said Winston. “It has been an honor serving with the best and brightest individuals of the U.S. Navy.”
Taylor, a native of Houston, received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in May 1997 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Previously, Taylor has been assigned to the “Vikings” of VAQ-129, “Lancers” of VAQ-131 and the “Gray Wolves” of VAQ-142, and served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. He has also been an EA-6B tactics and weapons school instructor, student control officer, naval air production plan/placement officer, and received a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. Taylor was awarded the prowler community’s David R. Dillon Award for Inspirational Leadership.
“Cmdr. Winston is leaving the squadron in a great place,” said Taylor. “I hope to continue leading VAQ-141 toward being the best electronic attack squadron in the U.S. Navy.”
VAQ-141 was established in July of 1987 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, as the 12th operational EA-6B Prowler Squadron. The squadron has supported several operations including Desert Storm, Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. In 2011, the Shadowhawks transitioned to the E/A-18G Growler. After a deployment with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George W. Bush (CVN 77), VAQ-141 relieved VAQ-136 as the forward-deployed electronic attack squadron and one of the eight squadrons with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 embarked aboard George Washington.
George Washington and CVW-5 are en route to conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.