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SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 26, 2022) – Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 125 — commonly called the “Tigertails” — conducted an in-flight change of command ceremony, while flying from the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in the South China Sea, Oct. 26.
Cmdr. Edmund Poynton officially turned over duties as commanding officer for VAW-125 to Cmdr. Kai Siegele.
Cmdr. Poynton reported to VAW-125, forward-deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, in May 2021 as the Executive Officer. Flying from Ronald Reagan, he completed his fifth combat deployment supporting Operations Freedom's Sentinel and Allies Refuge during the final retrograde of coalition forces from Afghanistan. Cmdr. Poynton assumed command of the Tigertails in August 2022 while underway in the Indo-Pacific.
“It has been a great experience watching the Tigertails face and overcome so many challenges during the last two and a half years,” said Poynton. “Every day the Sailors, Chiefs, and officers made my job easy by stepping up and getting the job done. We were – and with Cmdr. Siegele at the helm, no doubt will continue to be – the hardest working, most deployed, and highest achieving E-2D squadron in the fleet.”
Cmdr. Siegele joined VAW-125 in March of 2017. He deployed on two patrols in the Indo-Pacific and served as the Quality Assurance Officer. He was selected for Department Head and stayed with VAW 125. While with the Tigertails, Cmdr. Siegele served as Maintenance Officer, Safety Officer, Admin Officer, Executive Officer and now Commanding Officer.
"It was a privilege and honor to serve with Cmdr. Poynton,” said Siegele. “His selfless leadership successfully guided the Tigertails through COVID and three arduous deployments. It is truly humbling to assume command of such a phenomenal organization. The professionalism and dedication of the Sailors in VAW-125 is second to none, making the Tigertails the best Squadron in the Navy."
The mission of VAW-125 is to maintain command and control of airborne, surface, and battlefield assets. This means providing long range detection of hostile forces, strike control at sea, coordination and control for power projection ashore and fleet air defense.
VAW-125, currently serving in Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) Japan, was established in 1968 and is the first squadron to deploy with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft.
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness.
VAW-125 is attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5. CVW 5 is permanently embarked aboard Ronald Reagan as part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5, also known as the Ronald Reagan CSG, along with the staffs of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70 and CTF 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the “Warlords” Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 51, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shoup (DDG 86) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Antietam (CG 54) and USS Robert Smalls (CG 62).
The Ronald Reagan CSG is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2023 04:41 |
| Story ID: | 456924 |
| Location: | SOUTH CHINA SEA |
| Web Views: | 217 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Tigertails of VAW-125 conduct in-flight Change of Command, by PO2 Askia Collins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
