It takes a lot more than a federal government shutdown to stop U.S. Navy fighter pilots from honoring their traditions and holding a change-of-command ceremony.
That’s what occurred on Oct. 11, when the leadership of VFC-111, the resident adversary squadron at Naval Air Station Key West, changed hands from Commander Kearney “NNinja” Robinson to Commander Matthew “LC” Reed, who has been the executive officer and now takes over as commanding officer.
While the government shutdown did prevent a few Navy bigwigs from attending the Key West ceremony, plenty of others showed up on their own dime and made the pageantry and patriotism of the ceremony happen.
But who are the aviators of VFC-111? And how much do we civilians actually know about the F-5 Tiger-II fighter jets and their pilots that are a permanent feature in the Lower Keys at Boca Chica Field and Naval Air Station Key West? And what the hell is an adversary squadron?
To us mere mortals on the ground, relegated to operate within the confines of the speed of sound, we hear them more often than we see them, depending on weather and altitude, but the sound is unmistakable, approaching as it does like a rising wall of power that, yes, interrupts the occasional phone call, but never fails to impress.
We all look up when we hear, then see, the familiar silhouette of fighter jets cutting across the Florida Keys sky, independently or in pairs, their speed outrunning their sound.
VFC-111 is the home team around here, but they play the bad guys. As an adversary squadron, the pilots of VFC-111 are the instructors who play the enemy during crucial air-to-air combat training. The squadron acquired the moniker Sun Downers when established during World War II.
But let’s be real, my fellow children of the ’80s. Unless we’ve served in the military, we learned everything we know about “air combat maneuvering — dogfighting,” from the 1986 movie “Top Gun.” So to put it in familiar terms, VFC-111 pilots are Viper and Jester, seasoned and expert mentors challenging the aviators they train and presenting new situations for them to handle.
The VFC-111 instructors fly their F-5 Tiger-IIs against F-22s, F/A-18 Super Hornets, F-22 Raptors and other fighter jets from other squadrons that visit NASKW, usually for two weeks at a time to train, taking advantage of Key West’s flight-friendly weather and conveniently located air space.
Many of the Sun Downers live here. Some are reservists, no longer on active duty, but still eager to do what they love and teach what they’ve learned.
The outgoing and decorated Commander Kearney “NNinja” Robinson previously flew in Iraq and Afghanistan. Incoming Commanding Officer Matt “LC” Reed also took part in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, during which he made three combat deployments aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He has accumulated more than 350 combat flight hours and more than 2,500 hours in fighter aircraft.
Reed and his wife, Colleen, have made Key West their home with their children, Jack and Reagan.
Godspeed, guys, and thank you for your service.
