Patrol Squadron FOUR family selected as Navy Family of the Year

Every year, the National Military Family Association holds a contest to find the National Military Family of the Year. The Association is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and one Patrol Squadron FOUR family has been chosen as the Navy Family of the Year. LTJG Joshua Caldwell and his family are the lucky recipients of this year’s prestigious award. LTJG Caldwell is a Naval Flight Officer for the VP-4 Skinny Dragons. Last week, it was announced that LTJG Caldwell and his family had made the Top Ten Families to represent the United States Navy. More recently, it was announced that his family was then chosen out of the top ten to be the Navy Family of the Year. With this award, LTJG Caldwell and his family will fly to Washington, D.C. and attend the National Military Family Association’s 40th Anniversary Reception on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. The reception will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building on Pennsylvania Avenue. At the reception, LTJG Caldwell and his family will represent the navy and compete against six other families representing their respective branches; Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the Commissioned Corps of Public Health Service, and the Commissioned Corps of National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. These six families will compete for the grand prize winner as the 2009 National Military Family of the Year. Notable guests include; General James Cartwright, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations; Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; Vice Admiral Dirk Debbink, Chief of the Navy Reserve; and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West.

VP-4 Shines in Kauai Marathon

It was a day that began in darkness and ended in sweet success for Team Skinny Dragon. The Inaugural Kauai Marathon started in the wee hours of Sunday, September 6. Amid the darkness that was still present, it started to rain. The island of Kauai is home to Mt. Waialeale, known to many as the wettest place on Earth and Sunday was certainly no exception. The runners shoes had become waterlogged, their feet had become pruny, but their wills had not been broken. Eventually, the sun came out and everyone dried off and received a slight red tinge to cap off the morning's action.

The Half and Full Marathon Competitors ran side by side until mile 11. Then, the Half split off downhill, and the Full turned uphill. The Half participants ran the steady downhill all the way to the finish. Most of the Full participants regretted their decision at the split point, but every Skinny Dragon fought bravely through the pain. Mile 12 through 20 was generally uphill and many Skinny Dragons took the opportunities to catch their breath. After mile 20, the course was generally downhill. The Skinny Dragons then met up for the awards ceremony and celebration. Tropical fruits, massages, beer, and various other food were enjoyed by all.

Eventually, the Skinny Dragon Family went their separate ways to explore all of what Kauai had to offer. Waimea Canyon, Spouting Horn, and ziplining on the North Shore are some examples of activities enjoyed. All in all it was a great time and everyone was glad they came. For complete race results, go to http://www.thekauaimarathon.com/ and scroll to the results line.

Skinny Dragons Head to Kauai for Marathon

Over the next two days, approximately 35 Skinny Dragons will make their way to the island of Kauai for "the perfect getaway" weekend. Unfortunately for most, it will not be a lazy weekend underneath the Hawaiian sun. Many will participate in the inaugural Kauai Marathon by running the half (13.1 miles), but only a few brave souls will attempt the full (26.2 miles). All of the runners will be sporting snazzy Patron Four jerseys (see above design). The Marathon starts Sunday morning at 6am. Those not running will be volunteers and help distribute water, guide the route, take photos, etc. A VP-4 party will be held afterward. Check back here for complete Skinny Dragon results. Wish them luck!

New Blog Look

This is the new look for the Blog....keep looking back for further postings and updates on the squadrons activities.

Awards Ceremony 26 June

Families are highly encouraged to attend the Awards/Frocking Ceremony on June 26, 2009 at the Base Theater, starting at 0800. Please be in your seats and ready to go at 0750. This ceremony is to commemorate all awards not previously handed out from deployment. The uniform for those at the ceremony is summer whites for CPO's and above, summer whites or service uniform for E6 and below.

Taking a break

Right now the Skinny Dragons are in the middle of their post-deployment leave period. When everyone is back, they will begin getting ready for the next deployment. In the meantime, this blog is going to take a little holoholo. Tune in in mid-July for the next update and see how the men and women of VP-4 get ready for a deployment. Aloha a hui hou.

Lucky we live (in) Hawaii

There is a local saying that people who live in Hawaii use to describe their good fortune. No one understands the sentiment better than the Skinny Dragons. Having just returned from a seven-month combat deployment to Iraq, the members of Patrol Squadron FOUR and their families are out and about doing all of the things that they enjoyed before the deployment: hiking, surfing, scuba diving, etc. On a recent day, one family hiked the Olomana peak and took a panoramic shot of our home on the windward side of Oahu. Yes, we are "lucky we live Hawaii."

What people are saying

Several media outlets have picked up stories about the returning Skinny Dragons including a local news channel story (available here) which focused on a unique program used by one of the Skinny Dragons.

Each of these stories helped the returning squadron appreciate just how big of a deal their sacrifice has been to the folks at home.

Skinny Dragons get a surprise in Whidbey Island, Washington

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington is very close to the Boeing facility which is building the P-8A aircraft, the replacement for the venerable P-3 which VP-4 currently flies. On the day that the Skinny Dragon P-3 passed thru, the second P-8 to be produced did a few approaches at NAS Whidbey. One of those passes was caught on film in these exclusive photos.

P-3 Time Update

The P-3 will arrive at 5:00pm on its final leg of travel to hangar 104.

Updated time for Airlift #3

The arrival time for the final airlift has been moved from 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM on Sunday, June 7th.

P-3 Homecoming

The P-3 bringing one of the last Skinny Dragon crews will be arriving at hanger 104 at 5:30 PM.

Update to remaining flights

The arrival of the final Skinny Dragons will be at hanger 105.  The P-3 is scheduled to arrive at 5:30 PM, Saturday, June 6th, and the third airlift is scheduled to arrive at 7:00 AM, Sunday, June 7th.  

Lift Delays

Unfortunately, all three remaining flights have been delayed as follows:

The Cargo Airlift was supposed to arrive at 9:00 PM, Monday, June 1st is now scheduled to arrive 10:00 AM, Tuesday, June 2nd.

The Third Airlift and the P-3 were supposed to arrive at 5:30 PM, Thursday, June 4th and are now scheduled to arrive 3:10 PM, Saturday, June 6th.

All of these flights are arriving at KANEOHE.

There are different reasons for each of the delays, but the bottom line is that the squadron is working very hard to get your Skinny Dragons back to you. Please stay tuned here or call the VP-4 Duty Office at 257-0612 x7138 or x7087 if you have any questions about the remaining flights.

Cargo Lift Update -- Delay

The cargo lift arrival has been delayed and is now scheduled to arrive KANEOHE at 9:00 PM, Monday, June 1st. No information on the cause of the delay is currently available.

Airlift #2 Update -> Arrival Slid One Day to the Right

The arrival time for the second airlift has shifted one day to the right. The new estimated time of arrival is 8:15 AM on Sunday, May 31st.

This change was apparently caused by the contractor flying the airlift and could not have been foreseen. Check back often for any updates that come in.

Kaneohe Information for Meeting Airlift #2

The second Airlift will be arriving at Hangar 105 at MCB Hawaii. The two maps below show how to get from the main gate (H3) to Hangar 105 and where to park. There special event signs and VP4 personnel to assist in getting you on base and to the parking area starting one hour before the scheduled arrival time of 8:00 AM, Saturday, May 30th.

The Pacific Fleet Band will be on hand to help welcome our Sailors home, and there will be a shaded area, light refreshments and a keiki bouncy house to help keep everyone's spirits up before the plane arrives. Come early to ensure you get the best view of your hero landing.

Aloha airlift #1!

Airlift #1 touched down at Hickam AFB as predicted and the first round of Skinny Dragons made quick work of reconnecting with their families. There were new family additions and old friends in the waiting crowd, but mostly there was pride. Pride on behalf of the Skinny Dragons for having done a tough job well and pride on behalf of their loved ones for being part of the support network that buoyed their service and sacrifice. Thank you to all of you who have supported the Skinny Dragons through our deployement. Enjoy your reunions and making up for lost time.

VP-4 Duty Office Phone Number

It's been reported that using the automated menu to get the VP-4 Duty Office does not work. To get to the Duty Office, please dial 808-257-0612 x7087. That will do the trick.

Airlift #1: still waiting to find out where it will land

The big question on everyone's mind is where Airlift #1 will land. The prospect of landing at Kaneohe looks promising, but has not yet been confirmed. As soon as the decision is known to us, it will be updated here.

Tent Time!

Tent not exactly to scale.

At this time, most VP-4 personnel are in tents or on their way home. Why it may not be the most glamorous, it is a necessary stepping stone for us to be able to come home. Many of us braved the high heat today (somewhere in the 100s) and managed to move into our new dwellings. At least the bathrooms and showers are closer. Anyway, more to come about our final days in the desert.

Safety at Home

Even as we start our movement out of theater, we continue to think about making good decisions on duty and off. This edition of our safety newsletter is primarily focused on off-duty safety when we get home. Read through it for some hints and tricks to help you and your Skinny Dragon continue to make good, safe decisions during our homecoming and throughout our home cycle.

What we love about this deployment

During our time here, we have noticed that there are some perks on this deployment. Here are some take-aways of what we will miss the most:

1) The all-you-can-eat buffet:
Yes, although the food is not like a home-cooked meal, everyone has a favorite meal. Steak and lobster day, jambalaya, turkey wings, and Cornish hen are some of the favorites. You get to try different things that are unique to this area as well. For example, the Arabic food at the main dining facility is amazing. The Arabic-style chicken and the Thai-style rice are excellent. Not to mention all of the drink mixes, MRE pieces, and rip-its you can drink!

2) The Gym:
Everyone needs a little pt and with the gyms being so close, it's easy to stay in shape. Most of the gyms have an adequate selection of equipment. You just have to be smart enough to avoid the peak hours.

3) The Ur Market/PX Shops:
We all seemed to have a good share of down time out here. What better way to fill that time than with your favorite TV shows and Movies, especially ones that get leaked here before they ever see a U.S. theater. The shopping here offers discounted rugs, hookah, hard to find cigars, and every once in a while; camel rides.

4) The Ziggurat:
On the way to the HAS, it is a site to behold. It was built around 2100 BC as a temple for the Sumerian moon god and stands approximately 100 feet high, which is about 100 feet taller than anything else out here. Also, the area around the Ziggurat is believed to have been the house of Abraham. You can still see a dwelling with more than 25 rooms. Having the Ziggurat nearby gave us all a little more appreciation of this area's history.

5) The Sigonella Det:
Bonjourno! Whether we spent two weeks or two months out here, Sig was a great deal. We had the good fortune to be surrounded by a lot of spectacular wineries (Gambino, for example) and having authentic Italian restaurants nearby. There were many opportunities to go site seeing to Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo, and Catania. A lot of us were also able to visit Rome, including the Vatican. Sig also offered mini dets to Greece and Scotland. We all at least got a taste of what a P-3 deployment should be.

But most of all, we love the fact that it's almost over.

Hot off the Press: Airlift #1 Information!

As promised and eagerly anticipated, here is the latest information on the Skinny Dragon's first airlift to Oahu.  This airlift is currently scheduled to arrive Oahu on May 21st at 4:30 PM HST.  This flight could arrive at Hickam or Kaneohe, that has yet to be determined.  Below is a list of the projected passengers with the member's rank and first four letters of their last name.

LTJG ALBE	AWFC HOLC	PR3 RUTH
AWF2 ANDR	AT2 HOTA	AE2 SALM
LT BALL	AD3 HUFF	AWO1 SCAR
LT BEAT	PS3 HUGH	YN2 SEMO
LTJG BERG	AT3 HUNN	LT SHAN
AT1 BLAY	PS2 JACK	ADCS SHOR
LT BOGU	ADAN JOHN	AWO2 SHRA
AM3 BOLE	ATC JOHN	AWO3 SICK
AWO1 BROO	ATAN KELL	AO2 SILV
AM3 BRYA	AME3 KESS	SKC SIMP
SK1 BUMA	AWO2 KREG	AT2 SPAN
AWF1 CAST	AM3 KRON	AO2 SPEA
AMAN CHRI	AT3 KUSA	ATCS STAN
AM1 CLAI	AWO2 LACH	AWO2 STEE
AWF3 CLEM	ADC LEE	AME1 STEP
AWV2 CODY	AEAN LEMI	AZ3 STIP
SK3 CROF	AWV2 LOPE	AT3 STON
AD2 DAWS	AE2 LOVI	LCDR STRI
AZC DEAN	AE3 MAHA	AM3 SWAN
YNSN DUHO	AEAN MART	AWO3 TELL
AZ2 DULD	AWF2 MART	AD2 THEE
AD3 DUSA	AMC MIGU	AD3 TODD
LTJG ELLI	AWO1 MOOR	HM3 TURN
AWO2 ESTR	LT MORG	AT2 VALE
AWO2 EUBA	AM1 MOUS	AWO2 VAUG
AME2 FOWL	LTJG MULC	AOAN VICK
LT FRAN	AE2 MYRI	AE2 WALK
AM1 FROS	CDR NEWL	AT2 WALL
AWF1 FUQU	AWV3 NIES	LTJG WALR
ATC GARC	AT2 NYES	AWO2 WALT
PR1 GONZ	AD3 ORNE	AM2 WATR
ADAN GRAN	AWF1 OSTE	AD1 WATS
AME3 GREE	AO3 OTT	AWO1 WATS
AM2 GROV	AWO2 OWEN	AWO2 WILS
CS2 GUAR	IS2 PENA	AD3 WINI
AD2 HALL	AZ3 PHIL	LCDR WITH
AD3 HARR	AWF2 PITT	AEAN ZACH
AWCS HART	AWF1 RHOD
AM3 HERN	AE2 RUDO

Growing Pains and Going Nomadic

The addition of our relieving squadron is not without some pain. Buses will be packed, chow lines will be long, and there will be arm wrestling matches to determine who gets computer access. No matter how chaotic it gets, we are still glad they are here. The faster we get them settled into their living quarters and offices, the sooner we can start getting home.

With that being said, about half of VP-4 have moved into tents to facilitate VP-40's arrival. While not the most ideal living environment, it is yet another sign that we are almost out of here. Most of the personnel going on the first airlift are "camping" in tents at the moment. Luckily, most have already packed up their personal belongings to be sent home, so they've essentially turned into a nomadic horde. We're still awaiting word on the specifics of the first airlift.

Above is a picture of the whole team taken just a few days ago. A good looking crowd, wouldn't you say?

The Marlins are here! The Marlins are here!

Starting this morning and continuing throughout the day, the first group of Fighting Marlins from VP-40 arrived here in country.  They are a little travel weary, but after some chow and rest, they will be ready to start the turnover process.  It's really good to see them.

Squadron Return Information

As was recently advertised in the Family Careline email, this blog will be updated with the most current information regarding the squadron's return to Oahu. Please check back frequently for updated information.

To kick things off, here is the information we have now:

What we know:
There will be three personnel airlifts, one cargo lift and one P-3 bringing the squadron home from Italy and Iraq. Two of the personnel lifts and the cargo lift will leave from Iraq. The first passenger lift should arrive Oahu about May 23rd, and the second should arrive about May 30th. The cargo lift will have a few people on board and it should arrive Oahu about June 1st. The third personnel airlift and the P-3 will depart from Italy and should arrive on Oahu about June 4th and June 5th respectively.

What we do not yet know:
The final manifests for each flight are not yet complete. As they become final, they will be posted here by rank/rate and the first four letters of the member's last name. Also, the flight itineraries are not yet finalized. There is a chance that some or all of the flights with the exception of the P-3 will land at Hickam although we are pushing to have all of them arrive at Kaneohe. Again, once the details are finalized, they will be posted here.

Please keep in mind that this information is dynamic and much of it is beyond the direct control of the squadron. Checking back here frequently is the best way to get the most up-to-date information.

More to follow soon...

The Skinny Dragons are always focused on safely executing our mission both deployed and while at home. Our Safety Department produces an outstanding monthly newsletter named the Safety Skinny which has a lot of useful information. I thought some of our blog followers might like to see it. Enjoy!

Almost time to break out the cake!

It may not be time to crack open a bottle of champagne just yet, but our brothers from another island should be on their way to the desert by now. From here on out, it's going to get mighty hectic around here with people moving in, out, and around the base. At any rate, we are starting to get excited and you should be, too. Congrats to Mr. Mahaffey, he is the Warrior of the Week and the AEs were the shop of the Week. Also, the Sports Day yielded some breakout performances in the HAS Body Armor Race and the Long Drive Contest. Winners received a Special Liberty Chit. The Command Photo was also taken.

The Home Stretch!

Have no fear, the Skinny Dragons are still here! However, not for long. Our relief is coming soon. We are boasting a new Skipper and XO and kicking the old one out (as seen above) since the last posting and we have been working tirelessly, putting in the hours to piece together how exactly we are going to come home, while safely executing our normal missions. Today, we are having a Command Photo on the Flightline and copies will be available as soon as possible, after we get back. More posts to come, but until then, know that we are still thinking of you all. These next few weeks will go by fast.  Watch the video below to see Skipper Johansson's plane from Skipper Thomas' plane.

Another week gone by

Warrior of the Week: AEAN Leming
Crew of the Week: CAC-12
Shop of the Week: Work Center 210 (two in a row)

If you know any of the people involved please send them an email or contact them in any other way and say congratulations. They earned it.

LTJG Brad Roberts
VP-4 APAO

EOD visit

On Sunday members of EOD Mobile Unit 5, platoon 522 came by to talk a little about what they do and let us get some pictures with some of their toys. Petty Officer Miranda and Airman Nicola had some fun posing for the camera in front of one of their trucks.

Posted by LTJG Brad Roberts
VP-4 APAO

Congratulations and a job well done.

Warrior of the Week: AT2 Winkler
Crew of the Week: CAC-9
Shop of the Week: Work Center 210

If you know any of the people involved please send them an email or contact them in any other way and say congratulations. They earned it.

LTJG Brad Roberts
APAO VP-4

Passing Time

Officer and enlisted alike, when we're not flying we've got to do something to pass the time. Tonight as I walked back from dinner I saw that the Skipper had joined LT Wyman and Petty Officer's Canady and Cortopassi to relax and brush up on some guitar playing skills. The guitar is a popular way to relax out here. I've seen as many as 10 or more people outside playing together, comparing what they know and helping to teach some of the people that are just learning. It works out well for me, I end up with live music right outside my door most afternoons.

LTJG Brad Roberts
Assistant Public Affairs, VP-4

Just Add Water

In case you haven't heard we really don't like it when it rains out here. To explain why, I first have to tell you about the sand. The kind of sand you usually see in the movies is made up of giant grains of sand, kind of like sugar. If you picked up a handful of it you could let it slip through your fingers and fall to the ground with maybe a few grains still on your hand. The sand out here is much finer and more like flour. If you do anything with flour it is generally everywhere in no time. Just like the sand out here. So back to the rain. When it rains the water mixes with the powder like sand and before you know it we've got mud that is the consistency of cookie dough but when it dries it's practically cement. I spent a while stomping around and kicking cement barriers trying to get the mud off of my boots and I'll leave you with a picture of how successful I was.

Posted by LTJG Brad Roberts - Assistant PAO

Over the Hump is Coming...........

Thanks for all who have sent us supplies in preparation for the Over The Hump Party. The Pinewood Derby Cars, T-shirts, etc. Keep the fun stuff coming. The OTH Party is tentatively scheduled for March 7, 2009, so there is still time to send us any supplies that will aid in the good times that we will have. We will have activities such as volleyball, horseshoes, and basketball. There will also be a Skinny Dragon playing the role of DJ, some funny videos, and lots of food. An Over The Hump Video for the folks back home has been completed and should be available for your viewing pleasure soon. If you would like your own copy please let me, LTJG Wyatt Beyer, know at your earliest convenience. They will cost around $5 each + shipping and will be available on mini-dvd (should play in most dvd players and computers). Please email me at WyattBeyer@gmail.com if you are interested after viewing the video.

Congratulations

Congratulations goes out to AWO2 Walters on her re-enlistment ceremony today. Shake and Bake!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From all of us here in Iraq to all of our families, friends, loved ones and adoring fans, we here at Patrol Squadron Four want to wish everyone back home a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!  Things out here have been a bit busy, but overall, the Skinny Dragons are making their names known throughout the entire base!  And not only here, but in Italy as well.  That's right, we also are operating out of Italy, holding down the fort in the Mediterranean part of the world, and establishing our "Skinny Dragon" reputation in yet another sector of the globe.  As a matter of fact, in some of their limited spare time, some of our Sailors and aircrew got a chance to see the culture of Italy.  Here's a quick excerpt from CAC-10 and their (mis)adventures in the land of spaghetti, the Sopranos and gondolas:

CAC-10, along with the supporting Admin staff, took an MWR trip to Taormina.  Besides walking the cobble-stone streets of this historic city and enjoying the abundance of Christmas lights and decorations, these Skinny Dragons toured the ruins of the Greek Theater, sampled the locally produced almond wine, and took advantage of the delicious food this seaside town has to offer.

 

Originally founded by the Greeks in the 9th century B.C., Taorimina continues to occupy an important role in modern Italian history.   Perched approximately 300 meters over the Ionian Sea, the town is a regional tourist hub, attracting visitors from throughout Europe during the summer and serving as host to one of Europe's most important annual film festivals.

Looking great everyone, hope you enjoyed Italy as much as we all here enjoy having you back for the holidays.  We here in Iraq enjoyed our Christmas holiday as well.  So much so, that we got a quick picture of two of our favorite leaders enjoying one of Santa Claus' many gifts to the command...too bad they wouldn't let anyone else play!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year again everyone!  Thanks for stopping by, and keep those timers running, we're making our way towards being "over-the hump!"  

Posted by LT Zach Boguslawski, VP-4 Public Affairs Officer