THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010


  NAS Jacksonville welcomes




  'Swamp Foxes' to new home

By Lt. Adam Shreders  ""


The HSL-44 "Swamp
     Foxes"- formerly home-
     ported at NS Mayport -
took custody of their new spaces
Nov. 2 in Hangar 1122 at NAS
Jacksonville. Overcoming many
logistical challenges, the squad-
ron set a high standard for the
Navy's East Coast SH-60B
Seahawk fleet, by completing
their move to NAS Jacksonville
and executing flight operations in
just six working days.
  The new hangar at NAS
Jacksonville was built to facili-
tate the HSL community's transi-
tion to the HSM community as
the Swamp Foxes prepare for the
arrival of their next-generation
MH-60R "Romeo" multi-mission
helicopters in late 2010.
  "Most of us have never worked
in a new Navy hangar, so this
is a big deal," said HSL-44
Commanding Officer Cmdr. Rich
Davis. "Our shops and adminis-
trative spaces are first rate and


.....   ....                                           -                                 L I
                                                                                         AD3(AW) Cory Howerton jots
                                                                          Photos by Clark Pierce  down notes as he performs a 28-day
Three SH-60B Seahawks undergo scheduled maintenance in the new HSL-44 space at NAS Jacksonville's Hangar  inspection on an SH-60B Seahawk
1122. The "Swamp Foxes" moved from NS Mayport and will transition to the HSM community,          helicopter.


our view of the river from the
hangar and seawall is gorgeous."
  Davis explained that HSL-
44's move to NAS Jacksonville
is driven by the Navy Helicopter


Concept of Operations (CONOPS)
approved by CNO in 2002. It
was formerly known as the Navy
Helicopter Master Plan.
  "Under CONOPS, the SH-60B


and SH-60F variants are being
replaced by the MH-60R (Romeo)
and the HH-60H     is being
replaced by the MH-60S (Sierra).
In addition to power plants and


airframe components, the Romeo
and Sierra helicopters share a
common 'glass cockpit' digital


See HSL-44, Page 7


FRCSE dedicates new FLIR repair site
By Marsha Childs
FRCSE Public Affairs


Representatives from Fleet Readi-
      ness Center Southeast (FRCSE) and
      Raytheon Company dedicated the
new Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR)
AAS-44(C) Avionics repair site at NAS
Jacksonville Dec. 9.
  FRCSE Commanding Officer Capt. Paul
Sohl, Components Strategic Business Team
Lead Kevin Brooks and Raytheon Tactical
Systems Program Manager Mark Schroeder
cut the ribbon on the new FLIR repair cen-
ter, launching a public/private partnership
to support this unique weapons system.
  FLIR systems determine the l,..ii'ini.
course and speed of a target by viewing the
scene as an infrared image, regardless of
weather conditions. This system's capabili-
ties enhance night navigation, target detec-
tion and recognition, search and rescue, and
more.
  Title 10 of the U.S. Code requires the
government to maintain depot-level capa-
bility on Navy core weapons systems.
Performance Based Logistics balance cur-
rent readiness needs with future require-
ments through a government-industry part-
nership to provide cost-wise, high quality
service to the warfighter.
  Sohl said, "In the partnership world,


                                                             Photos by Vic Pitts
(From left) Fleet Readiness Center Southeast Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Sohl,
Components Strategic Business Team Lead Kevin Brooks and Raytheon Tactical Systems
Program Manager Mark Schroeder cut the ribbon to officially open the new Forward Looking
InfraRed Repair Center Dec. 9.


Raytheon plays a special role and in the
end, the fleet benefits." FRCSE is the only
Navy repair source to engage in this type of
partnership in support of FLIR.


  FRCSE artisans are adding maintenance,
overhaul and repair capability for the new-
est FLIR system, which is comprised of
three weapons replaceable assemblies: the


AT3 Tiasha Gaines of the HSM-70 "Spartans"
checks the avionics system on a Navy
MH-60R (Romeo) multi-mission helicop-
ter. The Forward Looking InfraRed (far left)
installed on this aricraft enhances night navi-
gation capabilities.
turret unit, electronic unit and hand control
unit.
  "These systems support the Navy's
MH-60R (Romeo) and S (Sierra) multi-mis-
sion helicopters," said Schroeder, Raytheon's
FLIR project officer. "This is just another
stepping stone in a series of programs to
come.
  Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
Program Manager Air (PMA)-299, respon-
sible for the program's acquisition, engi-
neering and contracting, funded more than
$10 million for the new FLIR repair equip-
ment, which was built in McKinney, Texas
by Raytheon.


See FLIR, Page 6


NH Jax welcomes first baby of 2010


By Loren Barnes
NH Jax Public Affairs

t 5:21 a.m. Jan 1,
     Dwayne Ernest West
 r. was born to proud
 mom Kerkrecha and father
 Dwayne at Naval Hospital
 Jacksonville - weighing in
 at 7 pounds, 8.5 ounces and
 measuring 20 inches.
 The infant is the third
child born to Kerkrecha.
Siblings Jhanae and Earl
Glover were on hand
when Nsval Hospital Jax
Executive Officer Capt.
Jennifer Vedral-Baron pre-
sented mom and dad a cer-
tificate recognizing Dwayne


Jr. as the hospital's first
baby of the New Year.
  Delivering the baby was
Resident Lt. Theodore
Demetriou. The mother's
pregnancy was followed by
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Physician Cmdr. Ruth
Duda. Excellent care was
provided throughout the
mom and baby's hospital
stay by the Maternal Infant
Unit and Obstetrics and
Gynecology (OB/Gyn) staff
and will continue with well
baby visits. Excellent sup-
port is available to both
first time and experienced
parents at Naval Hospital
Jax in all stages of preg-


Let It Snow!                   .
Frozen Fun Courtesy Of MWR
       Page 10


nancy and post-partum
care including classes,
parent and baby support
groups and information on
the hospital's Internet page
www.navalhospitaljax.med.
navy.mil. Expectant par-
ents can also call (904) 542
(BABY) to learn about the
hospital's programs.
  Bearing gifts for the new-
born was Oakleaf Spouse's
Club President Laina Bell
and her husband, Cmdr.
Kenneth Bell, of the Branch
Health Clinic at the Naval
Hospital Jax Wellness
Center.


See BABY, Page 13
--I 11I


Dwayne Ernest West Jr. was
Naval Hospital Jax's first
baby born in 2010.
I D E


                         Photos by HM 1 (SW) Michael Morgan
Naval Hospital Jax Executive Officer Capt. Jennifer Vedral-
Baron (right) presents new mom, Kerkrecha, and dad,
Dwayne West a certificate recognizing Dwayne Ernest West
Jr. (in dad's arms) as the first baby born at Naval Hospital Jax
in 2010. Left of mom are the baby's siblings, Jhanae and Earl.
                                             '


Vets Bike
Ride 2 Recovery Challenge
     Pages 4-5


   Army Helos
"Screaming Eagles" On Way Home
         Page 13