By Petty Officer 3rd
Class Jamal McNeill, Navy Office of Community Outreach
NORFOLK, Va. – A 2004 New Milford High School graduate and
New Milford, Connecticut native is serving in the U.S. Navy with Carrier
Airborne Early Warning Squadron 120 (VAW-120).
Lt. Zach Lamb works with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Squadron,
also known as “Greyhawks”, operating out of Norfolk, Virginia.
He is responsible for teaching student naval flight officers
how to operate the aircraft’s radar to detect threats to the carrier strike
group and troubleshoot issues.
“I enjoy the people I get to work with,” said Lamb. “I also
enjoy teaching and seeing the students retain the knowledge that I provide to
them.”
VAW 120’s primary mission is to fly and train naval
aviators, naval flight officers, and naval aircrewmen to safely and effectively
operate E-2 and C-2 aircraft, preparing them to join the fleet.
The training also includes the newest variant of the E-2D
aircraft platform, the Advanced Hawkeye, which serves as the most advanced
surveillance aircraft in the Navy. It
features a state of the art radar with more capability and upgraded aircraft systems
that will improve supportability and increase readiness.
“The Greyhawks of VAW-120 work
diligently to accomplish the mission of the sole Fleet Replacement Squadron for
the E-2 and C-2 communities,” said Cmdr. Evan Morrison, Commanding Officer VAW
120. “It is an honor to see the quality of production set forth by my sailors,
and to witness the development of the Navy’s future Airborne Early Warning and
Logistics leaders.”
With a crew of over 100 sailors, jobs
are highly specialized and keep each part of the Hawkeye running smoothly,
according to Navy officials. The jobs range from training the new
aviators, maintaining airframes and engines, processing paperwork, as well as
handling and flying the aircraft.
“This command allows me to work with a great group of
sailors, instructors, and students to ensure that we meet our mission in
training the naval flight officers to be capable of doing their job to join the
fleet,” said Lamb. “The teamwork here is phenomenal.”
While on deployment, challenging living conditions build
strong fellowship among the crew, Navy officials explained. The crew is highly
motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of
specialized work, watches, and drills.
“Serving in the Navy has afforded me the opportunity to give
back to our country because I have been blessed so much by it,” said Lamb.