Winging!

The reader board as you came on base!

Painted concrete...

Winging Banner!

Many thanks to my mom for helping me get going on this project and Nolan for helping me measure and make sure that the letters were straight!

First attempt at hanging it!

Displayed on our garage!

Nolan and George with their winging banners!
(Nolan and George were co-pilots during C-12 training in Corpus... George also lived across the street from us in Corpus - many great memories!)

Us with the winging banner in its second hanging spot after the winging!

Wednesday

Soft Patch Ceremony

Case with all of the soft patches Nolan's!
Nolan and Capt. Duesing

Ordinarily, the soft patch ceremony is done with one's on-wing (Nolan's was Lt. Buell - see below) but Nolan chose Capt. Duesing to do his, as it was Capt. Duesing (who used to work in the Marine office that Nolan was stashed in while waiting to start flight school, but is now in Nolan's squadron - HT - 18) who helped Nolan change from NFO (Naval Flight Officer - a back seater) to a SNA (Student Naval Aviator - a front seater/pilot)

While at TBS (in Virginia) Nolan earned a NFO spot, but when we arrived in Pensacola in March of 2007 for NFO school, the Marines had filled the number of NFO spots they needed for that fiscal year, so Nolan was given the option to fill one of the pilot spots that Capt Duesing still had open!
After much thought and seeking wise counsel Nolan decided to go for it! Whoop!


Capt. Duesing winding up for a 'punch' to make sure the Velcro-ed patch doesn't come off!

Scotch = 'beverage of choice' thank you gift

Lt. Buell and Nolan
Lt. Buell was Nolan's on-wing for helo training..
meaning he completed his first 10 flights with Lt. Buell.. a fellow Aggie!

Ryan and Kevin getting their soft patches (Also Osprey guys - like Nolan)
George and Chapman getting their soft patches (also Osprey guys)

Nolan's winging gift from Mom, Tim, Grandfather Hanna and Dorothy! A framed lithograph of each of the aircraft Nolan has learned to fly so far, (T-34, C-12, TH-57) as well a large Osprey (MV-22), which he will learn to fly next!

Soft patches in the case, in the student ready room (where we waited for Nolan the night of his last flight) I think the reflection of the room itself (squadron seals painted on the walls and the whiteboard) is cool!

Thursday

TH-57C Simulator
720 - 740 am




Nolan's mom and I both got about 10 minutes of flight time and we only crashed a handful of times! haha It was very cool!
As Nolan and I studied EPs (emergency procedures) almost nightly (as we walked Sandi around our base housing neighborhood) throughout his training, it was really cool to match up many of the items in the EPs with the handles and gauges in the cockpit!

Blessing of the Wings

Winging Ceremony

(will get a few pictures of the actual pinning of the wings from my friend Laura and add them here)



Nolan's cover and soft patch in the entry way of the auditorium where the ceremony took place...


Nolan in the class picture!

All of the Marine Aviators!

Chris and Laura Driscoll with us..
They are fellow Aggies we met up with while in Corpus Christi, Texas;
Chris is completing helo training and will wing in about a month!

Nolan and his Osprey mug with his aviator number!
30,045


Group photo!
Tim, Mom, Me, Nolan, Caroline, Dorothy, Grandfather


Gift from Nolan's mom
Grandpa Fewing's retirement clock!

Count down Nolan had going on the huge white board in our office!
March 19th - June 26th
Total time in Helo training
(shortened from the usual helo syllabus, as Nolan is an Osprey guy)


Grandfather and me with my FSU Master of Science diploma!
(unlike Texas A&M, I did not leave the stage with my diploma in hand... it took well over 6 weeks for it to arrive, but I am glad it came before we moved!)
Notice the boxes.. are move is in full swing!


And because when it rains it pours...

Since we aren't in Jacksonville, NC yet... I was lucky to have been able to do a phone interview for an elementary exceptional children teaching position the Tuesday before the winging extravaganza began! I think it went well, considering I was just walking in the door when the principal called. I will learn more after the 15th of July, as the principal was going on vacation until then...
I have had a few other schools that are interested in me for middle school math teaching positions, however the fact that I am still in Florida seems to be a bit of a stumbling block!
All in time! :-)

We hope to be departing from Milton, Florida for Jacksonville, North Carolina by Friday, July 10th!

We should get a better idea on Monday/Tuesday, July 6th/7th, about when we will have orders and such.. we will keep you posted!