"Eightballers" receive Isbell and Thatch awards
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS070312-20
Release Date: 3/12/2007 5:45:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Davis Anderson, USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs
USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At sea (NNS) -- The “Eightballers” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 8, currently embarked aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), received word Feb. 9 that they were the 2006 Adm. Jimmy Thatch award nominee for West Coast HS squadrons and winners of the Capt. Arnold J. Isbell award for Pacific Fleet squadrons.
The Adm. Thatch award is given to helicopter squadrons for outstanding achievement and contributions to naval aviation and the Capt. Isbell award is given to superior anti-surface and anti-submarine squadrons.
“These are squadron awards that speak [about] 365 days of hard work by every Sailor in HS-8, and the tremendous support they received from their families, getting ready for this deployment,” said HS-8 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Joey Tynch. “We focused on getting ready for a combat deployment this last year and we’re now on station in the Northern Arabian Sea ready to support any combatant commanders that require helicopter support across a broad range of mission areas.”
Tynch also said that arriving ready to conduct combat operations, anywhere and anytime, for the Carrier Air Wing 9, Stennis and Carrier Strike Group 3 team was HS-8’s intended goal from the start.
“Every HS-8 Sailor plays an important role in bringing this combat capability to the [area of responsibility] and the entire Eightball team continues doing an awesome job.”
The Sailors in HS-8 worked hard, not for the award, but to prepare for the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group’s (JCSSG) current deployment.
“Over the past year, I served as the squadron tactics officer,” said Lt. Nick Sylvester, an HS-8 pilot. “In this role, I helped to ensure that the squadron's tactical goals were met; that we would be ready to operate when we arrived on station.”
Sylvester added that the whole squadron earned this award.
“This award is not only a testament to our pilots and air crew, but also to our maintenance, admin, and safety departments,” said Sylvester. “Over the past year, the squadron really came together in preparation for this deployment. Our maintainers gave us great aircraft to fly. Our admin folks facilitated travel and logistics enabling us to go to schools and forward-operating bases without a hitch, and our pilots and air crew worked very hard to hone their skills in preparation for cruise.”
The Eightballers make sure their standards are maintained in a changing environment. This trend of excellence is one of the reasons why they were recognized by Commander, Naval Air Forces.
“The squadron is dynamic from a personnel standpoint,” said Sylvester. “Pilots, air crew and maintainers are constantly coming and going. The key is that the senior folks mentor the new check-ins. This way, the squadron can absorb the loss of senior qualified personnel and set up the newcomers for success. We have been doing this very well here at HS-8, and with the leadership we have in place, I expect this trend to continue.”
The Eightballers are honored to have won the awards; however, they know their mission is to be the best squadron they can be.
“A great deal of pride goes into our job,” said Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Sean Coburn. “Being relied upon 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to remain tactically flexible for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and combat personnel recovery is an honor. We all enjoy it, because we have a purpose.”
HS-8 will continue to use the skills and trends of excellence they have maintained with JCSSG in its support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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