ENS Celena Burkhart

ENS Burkhart finished T-34 Intermediate Training and will be starting Helo Advanced.


LTJG Ryan Campoamor

I came to Mayport from Pensacola, FL. I went to API in May of 2003, started Primary at VT-6 at Whiting Field in June 2003, and completed primary in November 2003. I then started intermediates again at VT-6 and that took me about 3 weeks to complete. I did a really awesome cross country to Las Vegas. We did tac forms over the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. Then a started Advanced January 2004 with HT-8 at Whiting Field, FL. Then I got winged on July 30th, 2004 which was by far the best accomplishment I have experienced.

I am currently the Ground Training Officer here in HSL-48 "Vipers", in Mayport, FL. I fly God's Chariot; the mighty SH-60B. I actually just got back from the Gulf Coast as we were tasked to help out a lot of displaced families and people from the recent Hurricane. We were flying out of NAS P-cola for a week, then transferred to the USS Truman for another  week and a half. We would fly to New Orleans, Gulfport, and other Gulf Coast cities to pluck people from rooftops, deliver food and water and transport MEDEVACS to hospitals. It was a great experience to be able to help people out first hand. As of now I am scheduled to deploy early May to the Med, Gulf and to the western pacific on the USS Nichols with the Enterprise Strike Group. If anyone has any HSL community related questions feel free to contact me. Hope all is well in Blacksburg! Go Hokies!


ENS Sean Kennelly finished T-34 Intermediate Training and will be starting Helo Advanced.

LTJG James Kotora

I'm in HSC-25 based out of Anderson AFB in GUAM.  I fly the MH-60S and just came back from the Gulf.  I actually think I spent a couple nights on the ABE while it was off the coast of Sumatra helping with the Tsunami recovery and relief supplies.  As far as my experience goes, I've flown a bit, and went through the aviation pipeline so any questions about that I have connections in all stages.

For my first deployment operational squadron I completed SERE, had a week of simulator training and then flew out to Guam.  Within like 3 weeks I was sent with my detachment to Bahrain where I flew onboard the USS Essex.  Later I would learn that Mike Steffens and his wife Meg Ryan were on other ships in the same ARG.   We would fly into and out of Kuwait moving passengers and cargo and also flew a mission patrolling around 2 oil platforms stemming out of Iraq.  Then after Christmas we were moved down to Sumatra where we helped move supplies from airports, where C-130's would fly in the cargo, to different landing zones.. aka villages.  This flying was very satisfying because of the instant gratification of smiles and thumbs up from the locals who needed the food and water.  Then we went back up to Iraq, picked up a bunch of Marines and then sailed back to Sasabo Japan.  I am now back on Guam and in the final stages of completing my Helicopter Aircraft Commander board (HAC).  


LTJG Benjamin Lung
During our last deployment the USS Alexandria circled the world via the North Pole and around the Eur-Asian continent, and then through the Suez Canal to the Med.  We visited many different ports such as:  Yokosuka (Japan), Guam, Singapore, Goa (India), Crete (Greece), and Rota (Spain).  We were the first Atlantic fleet submarine to transit via the arctic for a western Pacific deployment.  Also the first submarine in decades to circle the world, and the first nuclear powered submarine to ever visit India.


ENS James Malvasio is in Helo Advanced and is in HT-8. He is currently in the Basic Instruments phase.


LTJG Nick Meyers

I am a December 2002 graduate and I'm now stationed in Pearl Harbor on the USS Columbia (SSN 771).  We have some MIDN coming next week for summer cruise, but they are academy-guys.

I'm pretty sure I remember your name from my Freshmen and Sophomore years, but I'm not sure we really met.  I hope to send a few pictures your way one of these days for our website.  I attached one from our wardroom with our Captain from my promo to JG... but I'll send some more action shots when we head out.  Mike Steffens is a great source of action photos as he's out to sea right now and he likes to send them out by e-mail.

I'd welcome the chance to get to meet some Hokies out here and stay in touch.   I'll be leaving for a shore tour in about 2 years, and I would LOVE to head back to Blacksburg for a ROTC job -- CONGRATS on landing the greatest shore tour possible


LTJG Travis Phillips
Currently Stationed with HSL-42 in Mayport, FL Flying the SH-60B.  I have been in training commands until April of this year.  I just checked in with my first fleet squadron.  I will be sent on my first deployment next June (tentative


LTJG Brian Rhodes  

Currently, I am stationed in Mayport FL with HSL-40.  40 is the FRS for east coast HSL.  I fly the SH-60B here, and I have 2 flights left before I am done in the FRS, and move down the hall to HSL-44, The Swamp Foxes, which is the Fleet Squadron.  I've been here in Mayport since November, arriving here after receiving my wings with the completion of advanced flight training at NAS Whiting Field in Milton FL, on August 27 2004.

1LT J.B. Simpson
I am an infantry officer with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.  I'm a CAAT platoon commander(Combined Anti-Armor Team) in a Weapons Company.  .50cal and Mk19's mounted on HMMWVs.

I'm about four months into a seven month deployment in Fallujah, Iraq.  I don't have too much time to write or send photos but I'll give a quick summary.  I entered the fleet in March of 2003 and completed about a sixth month work up for the 22nd MEU.  We deployed in February of 2004, had a short stop in Croatia and Qatar on the way to Afghanistan where I spent about four months in the Kandahar and Oruzgan provinces.  We returned to the States in September of 2004 of and we departed for Fallujah again this March 2005.  We are due to return mid October of this year.  I'd be happy to share some photos or any other information for anyone interested in a similar field.  I don't have a great ability to communicate but I'll eventually return the email.

Semper Fi


ENS David Sithibandith is now in Helicopter Advanced Training at NAS Whiting Field South. He is assigned to HT-8 and is currently in the Basic Instruments phase of training.


ENS Trey Walker is in Helo Advanced and is in HT-18. He is currently in the Basic Instruments phase


Trey Walker, Brian Koch, James Kotora, Pat Foreman, and Matt Enos in front of the T-34.

LTJG Brian Fichter

I am currently stationed in NAS Jacksonville with the "Mad Foxes" of VP-5 as an NFO, flying the mighty P-3C Orion. After graduating from VT in May 2002, I received my wings in August 2003 and then joined the fleet in May 2004.  I completed my first deployment in June 2005 to Italy and Bahrain, flying around Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It was a great experience supporting the Global War on Terrorism, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as conducting antisubmarine warfare in a number of ASW exercises.