by Lt. Wesley Holzapfel, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn
(MAYPORT, Fla.) – A 2007 Lexington
Catholic High School graduate
and Lexington, Kentucky native is serving with a U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that
flies the Navy’s newest and most technologically-advanced helicopter.
Lt. Scott Collard is a pilot with the “Airwolves” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron
(HSM) 40, a Mayport, Florida based
squadron that operates the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and
Anti-Surface Warfare helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly
65 feet long, may weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel over 120
miles per hour for nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As a pilot, Collard
is responsible for flying the MH-60R helicopter.
“The community in
Lexington always gave me massive amounts of support in anything I did,”
said Collard.
According to Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable
multi-mission helicopter available in the world today. It is used for a variety
of missions, including hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy
ships, search and rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting
the Navy’s special operations forces.
It is replacing the Navy’s older helicopters because of its
greater versatility and more advanced weapon systems.
Collard said they are proud to be part of a warfighting team that
readily defends America at all times.
“I just surpassed 1,000
hours flying as a Navy pilot," said Collard. "I'm proud of that, and I'm looking forward to
continuing to add to that total."
Sailors’ jobs are
highly varied within the squadron. Approximately 297 Navy men and women are
assigned and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly. This
includes everything from maintaining helicopter airframes and engines, to
processing paperwork, handling weapons and flying the aircraft.
Serving in the Navy, Collard is learning about being a more
respectable leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous
responsibilities.
“It's such a good
opportunity to be a part of an organization that accomplishes so much and
defends the country,” said Collard.