29 Aug 2016 Jacksonville native trains to be a U.S. Navy pilot
by Ricky Burke
Navy Office of Community Outreach
A 2010 Sylvan Hills High School graduate and Jacksonville native is participating in the lengthy and rigorous training process that transforms U.S. Navy officers into Navy pilots.
Ensign Deion Lemelle is a student naval aviator with the “Rangers” Training Squadron (VT-28), based in Corpus, Christi, Texas, that operates the T-6B Texan II aircraft. As a student, Lemelle is responsible for becoming a professional naval aviator and learning this skill to the best of his ability.
“I love the flying aspect, I’ve always loved airplanes and my job gives me the opportunity to achieve my ultimate goal, having a career in flying aircraft,” said Lemelle.
The T-6B Texan is a training aircraft that is powered by a 1,100 shaft horsepower, free-turbine, turboprop single-engine, four-bladed propeller, with a cruising speed of 310 mph.
VT-28’s primary mission is to train future naval aviators to fly as well as instill leadership and officer values, Navy officials explained. Students must complete four phases of flight training in order to graduate, including aviation pre-flight indoctrination, primary flight training and advanced flight training. After successfully completing the rigorous program, naval aviators earn their coveted “Wings of Gold.”
After graduation, pilots continue their training to learn how to fly a specific aircraft, such as the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter jet, the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft or the SH-60 Seahawk helicopter. They are later assigned to a ship or land-based squadron.
Many of the pilots will fly aircraft which take off from and land aboard aircraft carriers, a unique capability which allows the Navy to operate anywhere on the world’s oceans.
Recently, Navy attack aircraft operating from aircraft carriers sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and from Middle East waters have launched hundreds of strike missions against terrorist targets in Iraq and Syria.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s squadrons with the newest aircraft platforms, Lemelle said he and other VT-28 sailors are proud to be part of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
“There is great support from my chain of command at VT-28,” said Lemelle. “There is exceptional camaraderie here that I share amongst my fellow student naval aviators and I love that everyone looks out for one another both professionally and personally.”
Jobs are highly varied at VT-28, according to Navy officials. Approximately 69 men and women officers and 15 civilian employees make up and keep all parts of the squadron running smoothly – this includes everything from training the new aviators, maintaining airframes and engines, processing paperwork, along with handling and flying the aircraft.
"Leading this extraordinary team of Naval Officers and civilians is an honor,” said Cmdr. James T. Sultenfuss, commanding officer of VT-28.
Serving in the Navy, Lemelle is learning about being a more responsible leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“It’s definitely challenged me, it’s pushed my limits and it’s been a great learning experience thus far,” said Lemelle.
