Consolidated Maintenance Organization Disestablished
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS090709-12
Release Date: 7/9/2009 4:39:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tucker M. Yates, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest
OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- Consolidated Maintenance Organization (CMO) 10 was disestablished during a ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island July 7.
The event marked the final CMO of three in the maritime patrol and reconnaissance community to be disestablished. CMO 10 was established May 16, 2008 and disestablished after approximately 14 months of service.
"Today we mark the end of Consolidated Maintenance Organization 10, and though commemorating the disestablishment of any naval unit may be filled with emotion, I'd also like to take this opportunity to celebrate a few of CMO 10's successes," said Capt. Ken Seliga, commodore of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10, and keynote speaker. "Though it may have been a short-lived unit, the Sailors of CMO 10 achieved so much in a short period of time."
Nearly 1,100 Sailors collaborated as the CMO-10 "Sea Wolves" maintaining P-3C Orion aircraft for four patrol squadrons (VPs) and EP-3E Aries II aircraft for two fleet air reconnaissance squadrons (VQs). The result of their efforts was more than 3,200 P-3 launches and almost 1,300 EP-3 flights, reaching a total of more than 25,000 flight hours.
"In the course of fourteen brief months, we witnessed the creation of this unit from the ground up to become a fully functioning organization because of the tremendous efforts of the Sailors you see seated here today and about six hundred others who are presently deployed or have already transitioned back to fleet squadrons," said Seliga.
The CMO was initially established to facilitate contractor-driven maintenance for the upcoming conversion to the P-8A Poseidon aircraft which will be replacing the Orion. As it became evident that the maintainers for the aircraft would primarily be Sailors, the decision to return to the former maintenance department configuration was made.
"With the projection of a virtually all-Sailor maintenance force working on the Poseidon, the decision to revert back to 'organic' maintenance was inevitable," said Seliga. "As we examine the possibilities of airframe selection to replace the EP-3 in the next fifteen years, that analysis also reveals that the VQ squadrons will be structured with organic maintenance departments."
Leading the Sea Wolves since their establishment has been Cmdr. Gil Hageman, CMO 10 commanding officer. Hageman was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal for his contributions but deferred the credit to his maintenance professionals and accepted the award on their behalf.
"Over the past fourteen months [these Sailors] have impressed me in more ways than time will permit me to recount. When I arrived in Whidbey last spring, I immediately sensed the professionalism displayed every day, in every task. You work tirelessly to keep these seasoned EP-3s and P-3s flying," said Hageman.
"These aircraft are not easy to maintain. Couple that with the extremely capable mission systems on each EP-3 aircraft, and you have a high-visibility, high-demand asset critical to our nation's national security. I stand here to remind you, what you do matters," added Hageman.
Maintenance personnel who were a part of CMO 10 will be transferred to other squadrons into their maintenance departments.
"These men and women have made the commitment to serve and will continue to represent the principles and values of our country around the world, no matter what patch they wear," said Hageman. "These fine volunteers did their job proudly prior to the establishment of CMO 10, and I have no doubt they will continue to serve in their 'World Watcher' and 'Sandie-Man' squadrons with pride and honor."
For more news from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, visit www.navy.mil/local/naswhidbey/.
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