Photo By Bruce Cummins | PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Incoming Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT)...... read more read more
The Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) held a Change of Command Ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, Nov. 15.
Capt. Eric J. Simon turned over responsibilities of the headquarters for Navy and Marine Corps aviation maintenance training to Capt. Nate D. Schneider during the two-hour ceremony, at which Capt. Michael A. Whitt, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) chief of staff, presided.
Simon, a 38-year Navy veteran, retired following the Change of Command, with Rear Adm. Michael W. Zarkowski, commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, serving as guest speaker during the retirement portion of the dual ceremony.
“Capt. Simon has made a difference for his Sailors and for naval aviation,” said Zarkowski. “He has a long history of working on the flightdeck and flightline, where the action is. He’s been at the program office, so he understands what it takes to get things from the drawing board to the fleet. He’s been the customer, and he took that experience to help make training here at CNATT more relevant.”
Simon, who served as the CNATT commanding officer since October 2016, oversaw the delivery of more than 530 courses at 28 different locations during his two-year tenure, graduating more than 98,000 students annually.
“It has truly been my honor and privilege to lead the crown jewel of the Naval Education and Training Command domain,” he said. “This staff is – without doubt – the finest group of professionals I have ever served with.”
During the ceremony, Simon was presented the Legion of Merit, an award he attributed to the dedication of the more than 3,000 CNATT domain Sailors, Marines and civilian employees ensuring quality training for aircraft maintainers.
“Training is the lynchpin of readiness, and I know that each and every member of the CNATT team, whether they are staff or instructors, are passing on the wealth of knowledge they have to the men and women who are taking their place,” he added.
Under Simon's leadership, CNATT earned 2017 NETC Learning Center Training Excellence Awards in the functional categories of Business Administration and Support, Planning and Programming, Total Force Management, Logistics Management, Curriculum Management, and Training Production Management.
Schneider, who had served as the CNATT executive officer since November 2016, addressed the CNATT military and civilian staff as their commanding officer for the first time, expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to directly impact Naval Aviation technical training.
“It is a sincere honor to take command of CNATT,” he said. “Capt. Simon has led us to many great accomplishments while fulfilling our primary mission. His absence will surely be felt, and we wish him and his family all the best in their next chapter of life. I am humbled and proud to have the opportunity to lead CNATT into the future. Our staff is amazingly qualified and capable, and we will continue the legacy of excellence in training.”
CNATT is a technical training agent for the Naval Aviation Enterprise, an organization designed to advance and sustain Naval Aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost, under NETC.
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.16.2018 08:46 |
| Story ID: | 300225 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 211 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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