Captain Mark A. McLaughlin became the 33rd commanding officer of Naval Air Station Kingsville Friday during a traditional change of command ceremony held at the NAS Captain’s Club. McLaughlin relieved Captain Philip L. Waddingham who had served as the air station’s commander since August 2007. Presiding officer and guest speaker for the ceremony was Rear Admiral Townsend “Tim” Alexander, Commander, Navy Region Southeast. Pictured from left is Alexander speaking with McLaughlin and Waddingham after the ceremony. (Photo by Erika Hernandez) Capt. Mark McLaughlin Garza sa ys Ca ptain Mark A. McLaughlin became the 32nd commanding officer of Naval Air Station Kingsville Friday during a traditional change of command ceremony held at the NAS Captain’s Club.

McLaughlin relieved Captain Philip L. Waddingham who had served as the air station’s commander since August 2007.

Presiding officer and guest speaker for the ceremony was Rear Admiral Townsend “Tim” Alexander, Commander, Navy Region Southeast.

Captain McLaughlin reports to NAS Kingsville

says wor k keep s f rom the st aff of the Chief of Naval Air Training, where he has served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Training for the past three years.

McLaughlin and his family came back to Texas in 2003 for his command tour with VT-22 and he says he has claimed South Texas as his home ever since.

“This is a big day for me and my family and it is truly an honor to be the 32nd commanding officer of NAS Kingsville and I still cannot believe that this actually happened to me,” McLaughlin said after the reading of his official orders.

“NAS Kingsville has significant meaning to me

Kingsville

and my family because we came here in June of 2003 and never left,” McLaughlin said. “Kingsville was my first choice and this is home for us and it’s an honor to serve a major command in my home state.”

Along with his wife Kristin, an English teacher in Gregory-Portland, he has three children, Hilary, Kendall, and Jack.

His daughters Hilary, a recent Texas A&M University graduate, and Kendall, who is currently attending Del Mar College for a career in law enforcement, finished high school in Calallen, where the

NAS family resides, and his son Jack is still in school.

McLaughlin praised Waddingham for the work he has done over the past three years and said he felt he was being handed the perfect base.

“I do have to be the luckiest commanding officer ever to assume a naval air station partly because I feel very comfortable with Kingsville and was pretty much handed the keys to the perfect car by Waddingham,” McLaughlin said. “I thank both you and your wife Sue for everything you have done for this base and community and I just hope I can hold the torch as high as you both did.”

He told the Waddingham family they were welcome back to NAS Kingsville anytime and that he would do his best to continue their hard work.

“I look forward to completing the projects you have started and I hope you know you will always be welcomed back to the Republic of Texas with open arms,” McLaughlin said.

Born in Omaha, Neb. and raised in Caldwell, Idaho, Captain McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in economics and received his commission through the Navy ROTC program at Texas A&M University in December 1986.

Following primary flight training in NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., and advanced jet training in NAS Beeville, he earned his wings in April 1989, and was selected to be an attack pilot in the A-6E “Intruder.”

Sea duty assignments began with initial A-6E training at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., completing three Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf deployments aboard USS Ranger (CV 61) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

In 1997, he transitioned to the EA-6B “Prowler” and completed a deployment with Electronic Attack Squadron 139 embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Shore duty assignments include a tour as an instructor pilot in the A-6E Fleet Replacement Squadron (VA-128) in NAS Whidbey Island; a jointduty assignment with the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) in Offutt AFB, Omaha, Neb.; and command of Strike Training Squadron Twenty Two (VT-22) at NAS Kingsville.

Staff tours include air operations officer and deputy operations officer to Commander, Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in Bahrain, and the Assistant Chief of Staff for Training, Naval Air Training Command, in Corpus Christi.

In 2008, Capt. McLaughlin earned a Master of Aeronautical Science Degree with specialties in human factors and aviation operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

McLaughlin has accumulated more than 3,500 flight hours, 761 carrier landings and 87 combat missions during a 23-year aviation career.

In addition to various campaign and service decorations, he has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal (two awards) and the Air Medal (four strike

Sales Tax flight awards).