By Petty Officer 3rd
Class Jamal McNeill, Navy Office of Community Outreach
NORFOLK, Va. – A 1994 Parkland High School graduate and
Allentown, Pennsylvania native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Carrier
Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126.
Cmdr. Scott Wastak works with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
Squadron, VAW 126, also known as “Seahawks”, operating out of Norfolk,
Virginia.
He is the commanding officer of VAW 126 responsible for providing combat ready E2-D Hawkeyes
to the area and strike group, as well as the health and well being of
all the officers and sailors at the command to include training. He is like the
CEO of a small company.
“I enjoy my job because I am able to work with people from
all different parts of the country and walks of like while helping them to
succeed and accomplish their goals,” said Wastak. “It is also pretty cool to
fly and be a part of Naval aviation.”
The primary mission of VAW-126 is to provide mission-ready
and combat-ready E-2D aircraft and capable aircrew wherever needed, on time,
and safely.
As the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform, the E-2D
Advanced Hawkeye serves as the most advanced command and control aircraft in
the Navy and features a state-of the-art radar with more capabilities and
upgraded aircraft systems that improves the combat effectiveness of a carrier
air wing and carrier strike group..
In addition to airborne early warning mission, the E-2D
provides a variety of capabilities to the carrier strike group, including
search and rescue operations, data link, communications relay, strike control,
close air support coordination, and drug interdiction.
”The sailors of VAW-126 are integral to
the successful employment of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye,” said Wastak. “Without their meticulous attention to
detail and dedication to the mission, the Hawkeye would be unable to perform
its mission and meet our nation’s call to duty.
Our sailors are truly our most valuable assets!”
With a crew of nearly 150 sailors, jobs
are highly specialized and designed to keep each part of the Hawkeye running
smoothly. Whether training new aviators,
maintaining airframes and engines, processing paperwork, or handling and flying
the aircraft, the key to success is teamwork.
“Because we have one of the newest aircrafts in the Navy
fleet, it is exciting to be a part of a squadron that has the latest and
greatest technology to employ and defend this country abroad,” said Wastak.
“Serving in the Navy, to me, means serving a cause greater
than yourself as well as serving the people you work with and helping them
succeed and grow and accomplish their goals,” added Wastak.
The Seahawks of VAW-126 are assigned to Carrier Air Wing
ONE.