• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Eightballers CO Rolls into Rare Air Pocket

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061010-02
Release Date: 10/10/2006 8:41:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Frank E. Neely, USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs

ABOARD USS JOHN C. STENNIS, Pacific Ocean (NNS) -- The commanding officer of Helicopter Anti-Submarine (HS) Squadron 8, the “Eightballers,” achieved a rare career milestone off of the flight deck of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Sept. 29, when he became one of only a few pilots to ever accrue more than 4,000 career flight hours in an SH-60F/H helicopter.

Cmdr. Joey Tynch, piloting an SH-60F helicopter, took off at approximately 2:30 p.m. and successfully landed at approximately 6 p.m. Upon arrival, he was welcomed with a reception attended by many of his enlisted Sailors and pilots, and was presented with several awards.

“It’s a testimony to all of the years of working with great Sailors,” said Tynch. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of flying tours in my career, and it has been the Sailors in the squadron who have made all of it happen. That’s what got me the 4,000 hours.”

Tynch is the only HS commanding officer that started in the HS community piloting the SH-60F/H. In 1991, all HS squadrons transitioned from utilizing the SH-3 helicopter to flying the SH-60F/H. Other current HS commanding officers piloted the SH-3 prior to the conversion.

“It is a major milestone,” said Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Capt. William Massey. “To get 4,000 hours in any airplane is a significant achievement. It’s a testament to how much time he’s devoted to the Navy flying.”

Massey encouraged other Sailors to make their goals just as high.

“It is something junior officers ought to strive for,” he added. “He is definitely a role model for his squadron and throughout the air wing. I’m truly impressed with him.”

Lt. j.g. Dustin Dinola, an HS-8 pilot, said he admires the commander for his achievements.

“I think it’s a combination of skill and certainly determination. It’s really quite an unbelievable accomplishment. Not to mention, it’s quite an example for all of his young pilots in the squadron, such as myself,” Dinola said.

HS-8’s mission is to provide anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, and support special operations forces within the strike group commander’s objectives.

In October, HS-8 will transition to the SH-60S helicopter exclusively, shifting their mission strictly to supporting special operations forces, anti-surface warfare and combat search and rescue. Once they transition, the squadron will no longer be the HS squadron they’ve been since 1956, but an HSC (helicopter sea combat squadron).

Currently, HS-8 is embarked aboard Stennis, falling under CVW-9 and participating in the John C. Stennis Strike Group’s (JCSSG) Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX). COMPTUEX is the first exercise in nearly two years in which the entire strike group has conducted operations together.