Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 recently sent Warcat 11 on the road to Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado on a unique mission, to meet with future naval Officers.

On board the Warcat 11, one of the squadron’s four ICAP III EA-6B Prowlers were Lt. Matt Maher, Lt. Greg Bischoff, Lt.j.g. Matt McCormick, and Lt.j.g. D’Marie Ellison. 

The aircraft, adorned with the requisite USS Ronald Reagan markings, taxied in to be greeted by a large group of University of Colorado Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students. 

After the J-52 engines wound to a stop the ROTC students were invited to look at the aircraft up close and see what their future may hold.  Most were interested in one day earning the coveted Wings of Gold and had many questions about the Naval Aviation training program, countries visited, and of course what it feels like to accelerate on a nuclear aircraft carrier catapult and return to catch an arresting cable.

Chris Moss, a second year aerospace science major, asked how difficult it was to land at night on an aircraft carrier that’s rocking in rolling in a stormy ocean. 

“I’m not going to lie, it’s very, very challenging,” said Maher. “However, our training is great and it gives us the skill and confidence necessary to bring a jet aboard safely day or night, good weather or bad.”

“Part of why we love our job is the challenge that carrier aviation brings with it on a daily basis,” Maher added. “We thrive in a challenging environment.”

Many of the students had never seen a carrier based aircraft up close, let alone an ICAP III EA-6B Prowler, one of only a handful in the nation’s inventory.

“I cannot imagine the amount of force the jet must withstand when accelerating and decelerating so rapidly in the carrier environment. It’s really just incredible,” said Timothy McNerny, a second year engineering student.”

At the end of the day the ROTC students were given patches, coins, contact information and a better understanding of what naval aviation is about and how close to their dreams they may be.