The Screaming Eagles of VP-1 held a change of command ceremony today in Hangar Six as Cmdr. Rick Nielsen relieved Cmdr. Leon Bacon.

Bacon, who took command of VP-1 in March of 2004 while on deployment in Misawa, Japan, saw the Screaming Eagles through the second half of their Seventh Fleet deployment. Under his tenure, the squadron surpassed the 125,000 mishap-free flight hour milestone, and garnered several awards to include the Capt. Arnold Jay Isbell trophy for ASW Excellence and the 2004 Retention Excellence award. Bacon is headed to Patuxent River, Md., where he will report to NAVAIR as the assistant program manager for P-3 Logistics.

A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Nielsen graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987. He was commissioned through the NROTC program and earned his Naval Flight Officer Wings in August of 1989.

Following his designation, he reported to Patrol Squadron 19 homeported at NAS Moffett Field, Calif. During his time with the Big Red, he deployed to Misawa, Japan, Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T., and Masirah, Oman for Operation Desert Shield. In April 1991, VP-19 was disestablished and he transferred to Patrol Squadron Nine, also homeported at NAS Moffett Field.

A year later he moved with the squadron to its new homeport at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. While at VP-9, he qualified as patrol plane tactical coordinator and patrol plane mission commander, and deployed on extended detachments to NAS Adak, Alaska and Panama.

Nielsen remained in Hawaii and in August 1993 assumed duties as Flag Aide to Commander, Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, co-located at NAS Barbers Point and the Pacific Fleet headquarters at Pearl Harbor.

In November 1995, he reported to USS Enterprise (CVN 65), homeported in Norfolk, Va., as assistant navigator. He qualified as assistant command duty officer (in-port), officer of the deck (underway), and command duty officer (underway).

While on board the “Big E,” he deployed in 1996 to the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea and Persian Gulf in support of operations in the former Yugoslavia and in Operation Southern Watch.

Nielsen next reported to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 in November 1997. He served as administrative officer and weapons systems training officer in charge.

He returned to operational flying as a department head when he joined Patrol Squadron One in May 1999. He served as Masirah Detachment officer in charge, command services officer and maintenance officer. 

During this tour he deployed in 1999 to Diego Garcia, Masirah, Bahrain and finished the tour while deployed to Misawa and Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa.

Nielsen’s next assignment came in April 2001 as deputy executive assistant to the director, Air Warfare (N78) on the Chief of Naval Operations staff located in the Pentagon.

His most recent assignment was to the National War College in Washington, D.C. where he received his master’s of science degree in national security strategy.

Nielsen’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (four) and the Navy Achievement Medal.

He and his wife Ann have two children, Brett and Halle.