MCAS Cherry Point News

Seaman Chase Lapradd, a corpsman attached to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), and a native of Drakes Branch, Va., receives his Fleet Marine Force qualification at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Feb. 16. The Fleet Marine Force qualification is issued to Sailors who are trained and qualified to perform duties in support of U.S. Marine Corps operations, and can only be issued by Marine commanding generals or commanding officers of regimental-level commands. More than 50 Sailors attached to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) have earned the qualification in the past year. - Seaman Chase Lapradd, a corpsman attached to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), and a native of Drakes Branch, Va., receives his Fleet Marine Force qualification at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Feb. 16. The Fleet Marine Force qualification is issued to Sailors who are trained and qualified to perform duties in support of U.S. Marine Corps operations, and can only be issued by Marine commanding generals or commanding officers of regimental-level commands. More than 50 Sailors attached to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) have earned the qualification in the past year.

(Left to Right) Navy Capt. Edgardo Perez-Lugo, commanding officer of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point, Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and Lt. Cmdr. Erin M. Simmons, department head of the mental health clinic at the Naval clinic, conduct a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 9 for the clinic’s revamped, relocated mental health clinic. The facility used to be on the first floor of the clinic but moved to the third because of a lack of space. The upstairs location provides a much more suitable environment, said Simmons. - (Left to Right) Navy Capt. Edgardo Perez-Lugo, commanding officer of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point, Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and Lt. Cmdr. Erin M. Simmons, department head of the mental health clinic at the Naval clinic, conduct a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 9 for the clinic’s revamped, relocated mental health clinic. The facility used to be on the first floor of the clinic but moved to the third because of a lack of space. The upstairs location provides a much more suitable environment, said Simmons.

FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 29, 2006) A P-38F Lightning and an F-35X Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II are displayed at the Lockheed Martin Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas for a special ceremony in recognition of the past and present success of the company's production of fighter aircraft. This P-38 is named "Glacier Girl" in commemoration of the recovery and restoration of the aircraft from her icy tomb, more than 250 feet below the surface of a glacier, on the eastern coast of Greenland where she crash landed in July, 1942 with four other P-38s and two B-17s in route to England. U.S. Navy photo by MC2(AW) D. Keith Simmons Released - FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 29, 2006) A P-38F Lightning and an F-35X Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II are displayed at the Lockheed Martin Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas for a special ceremony in recognition of the past and present success of the company's production of fighter aircraft. This P-38 is named "Glacier Girl" in commemoration of the recovery and restoration of the aircraft from her icy tomb, more than 250 feet below the surface of a glacier, on the eastern coast of Greenland where she crash landed in July, 1942 with four other P-38s and two B-17s in route to England. U.S. Navy photo by MC2(AW) D. Keith Simmons Released

Cpl. Kyle J. Goss, an air frame mechanic with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366, holds his child at the squadron’s hangar Feb. 11, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., after returning from a seven-month deployment to the Horn of Africa. The Marines were deployed to provide support preventing conflict, promoting regional stability and protecting coalition interests. - Cpl. Kyle J. Goss, an air frame mechanic with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366, holds his child at the squadron’s hangar Feb. 11, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., after returning from a seven-month deployment to the Horn of Africa. The Marines were deployed to provide support preventing conflict, promoting regional stability and protecting coalition interests.

Pamlico County residents Bob and Beverly Fruhling sit on the banks of the Pamlico River near where former Cobra pilot Dennis DeRienzo's helmet was found. The couple thinks the helmet was wept up in the wake of Hurricane Irene in August 2011. The helmet was lost when th Cobra, co-piloted by DeRienzo, crashed during a routine pre-deployment exercise on February 10, 1999. - Pamlico County residents Bob and Beverly Fruhling sit on the banks of the Pamlico River near where former Cobra pilot Dennis DeRienzo's helmet was found. The couple thinks the helmet was wept up in the wake of Hurricane Irene in August 2011. The helmet was lost when th Cobra, co-piloted by DeRienzo, crashed during a routine pre-deployment exercise on February 10, 1999.

An MV-22 Osprey of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 takes off from the USS Kearsarge Jan. 31. Marine aviation provided support during Exercise Bold Alligator by transporting troops from ships to the exercise areas and shaping the battlefield to be advantageous to the Marines when they landed ashore. Strike packages also attacked strategic targets on long-range missions. - An MV-22 Osprey of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 takes off from the USS Kearsarge Jan. 31. Marine aviation provided support during Exercise Bold Alligator by transporting troops from ships to the exercise areas and shaping the battlefield to be advantageous to the Marines when they landed ashore. Strike packages also attacked strategic targets on long-range missions.

Lance Cpl. Jeff Kruger shows a camera crew the engine of an AH-1W Super Cobra at the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 467 hangar aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Feb. 14. The crew conducted interviews and recorded footage of the aircraft as it demonstrated capabilities for the History Channel’s TV show, “101 weapons that changed the world.” Kruger is a Super Cobra and Huey mechanic with HMLA-467. - Lance Cpl. Jeff Kruger shows a camera crew the engine of an AH-1W Super Cobra at the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 467 hangar aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Feb. 14. The crew conducted interviews and recorded footage of the aircraft as it demonstrated capabilities for the History Channel’s TV show, “101 weapons that changed the world.” Kruger is a Super Cobra and Huey mechanic with HMLA-467.

Staff Sgt. Alex Aguilar, an aviation information systems specialist with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14, embraces his 13-year-old daughter, Brenda, outside of the Training and Education Building aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Feb. 4, 2012, after returning from a deployment to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Brenda said that she was glad to finally have her father back home. - Staff Sgt. Alex Aguilar, an aviation information systems specialist with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14, embraces his 13-year-old daughter, Brenda, outside of the Training and Education Building aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Feb. 4, 2012, after returning from a deployment to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Brenda said that she was glad to finally have her father back home.

(Left to right) Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, presents an award to Paul F. Ringheiser III, a paramedic and firefighter with the air station fire department, at Fire Station #1 Feb. 8, 2012. Ringheiser was commended for his inspiration behind the theme, “Celebrate the Heritage,” for this year’s MCAS Cherry Point Air Show May 4-6. - (Left to right) Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, presents an award to Paul F. Ringheiser III, a paramedic and firefighter with the air station fire department, at Fire Station #1 Feb. 8, 2012. Ringheiser was commended for his inspiration behind the theme, “Celebrate the Heritage,” for this year’s MCAS Cherry Point Air Show May 4-6.

Gunnery Sgt. Jeremiah Francis, a Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training instructor who led students through the CNATT facility, teaches Shane Wilson, a junior at Havelock High School, and Kyle Sizemore, a senior at New Bern High School, about the AV-8B Harrier Feb. 2. Eighteen students from Craven County schools came to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for a chance to follow Marines from various shops throughout the air station. - Gunnery Sgt. Jeremiah Francis, a Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training instructor who led students through the CNATT facility, teaches Shane Wilson, a junior at Havelock High School, and Kyle Sizemore, a senior at New Bern High School, about the AV-8B Harrier Feb. 2. Eighteen students from Craven County schools came to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for a chance to follow Marines from various shops throughout the air station.