By Petty Officer 3rd
Class Jamal McNeill, Navy Office of Community Outreach
NORFOLK, Va. – A 2014 Ronald Reagan Senior High School
graduate and Miami native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Carrier
Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Eduardo Vasquez works with the E-2D
Advanced Hawkeye Squadron, VAW 126, also known as “Seahawks”, operating out of
Norfolk, Virginia.
He is responsible for all structural and hydraulic
maintenance for the E2-D aircraft.
“The best part of my job is being able to work with my
hands,” said Vasquez. “It is also pretty cool to work on the aircraft.”
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 Cmdr. Scott
Wastak, Commanding Officer VAW-126. “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.
“This is my first command so it will always be important to
me,” said Vasquez. “It has shown me the ropes of how to be a sailor and work in
a command environment.”
“Serving in the Navy is a sense of pride,” said Vasquez.
“People look up to you and expect a lot more of you because you are in the military and that helps me strive to live up to those expectations.”
The Seahawks of VAW-126 are assigned to Carrier Air Wing
ONE.