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VFA-201 wins reserve Battle 'E'

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030406-05
Release Date: 4/6/2003 7:13:00 PM

By Chief Journalist (SW) Aaron Strickland, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs

ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT, At Sea (NNS) -- Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 201, currently deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), is the 2002 winner of the Commander, Air Wing 20 Noel Davis Award, the Reserve aviation Battle "E."

The award recognizes the top squadron in several categories, including number of flight hours, number of arrested carrier landings, safety, readiness and training, ordnance delivered, pilot qualifications, full-mission-capable aircraft, enlistment advancement and retention, and hazard reports (HAZREPS).

"Ever since we transitioned to F/A-18s in 1999, we've been striving to always do better," said Cmdr. Tom Marotta, VFA-201 commanding officer. "We always say 'Hunter Pride, Hunter Spirit and Hunter Excellence.' I think we've proven we strive for excellence."

VFA-201, based out of Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas, is the first Reserve squadron to be called to active duty since the Korean War, and the seniority of its staff may well have played into the selection in the Battle "E." According to Marotta, squadron pilots experience averages 2,700 flight hours, and some enlisted personnel have been with the Hunters as long as 17 years.

"We have lots of experience as a team," Marotta said. "All we needed was some boat experience."

And that experience is what Roosevelt and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 provided to the Hunters.

Since activating in mid-October, the Hunters have accumulated more than 2,600 flight hours, more than 1,600 sorties and more than 1,000 arrested landings aboard Roosevelt.

"Their performance merits their selection," said Capt. David Newland, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8. "They transitioned to 12 new planes, then got the call and fully activated the squadron two weeks before joining the wing. This award just goes to show how hard 201 is working."

Marotta praised the team spirit within the squadron and within the Roosevelt/CVW-8 team. He noted that the Hunters were hand picked to activate because of the desire to deploy as a team, not a group pieced together from several squadron's volunteers.

"VFA-87 and VFA-15 have worked with us from the start," he said. "This has not been a 'sink or swim' group. It's a 'hey, we need to help each other' group. If we need something, another squadron helps us, and we do the same in return. Everyone's working together."