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~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi 
Just 15 miles northeast of downtown Meridian lies Naval Air Station Meridian jet training facility. NAS Meridian hosts Training Wing One and training squadrons VT-7 and VT-9. VT-7 operates the T-45 (Goshawk) while VT-9 flies the venerable T2-C Buckeye. The main base of NAS Meridian occupies more than 8,000 acres, with an additional 4,000 acres at Joe Williams Field and the target facility SEARAY. The size of NAS Meridian may be compared to that of other major naval air stations such as NAS Pensacola, Fla., which has about 5,000 acres. More than 4,000 military, civilians and dependents work and/or live at the air station. 
Training Air Wing One (TW-1) was commissioned on August 2, 1971, as the first Training Air Wing to incorporate the single-site training concept. Until that time, jet aviation students received only the basic flight syllabus at NAS Meridian prior to being transferred to bases in Texas for advanced flight training.
With the conversion of Training Squadron Seven (VT-7) to an advanced training squadron and the initiation of air-to-air combat gunnery and carrier qualification instruction in Training Squadron Nine (VT-9), student naval aviators (SNA's) were able to complete the entire jet-training syllabus while stationed at NAS Meridian.
The mission of Training Air Wing One is to provide newly designated aviators to the fleet for further training in operational combat aircraft and is conveyed in the wing motto, "Readiness for Victory at Sea Through Training." 
The instructor pilot cadre at TW-1 is comprised of men and women from almost every Navy and Marine Corps aviation community as well as several international military exchange pilots, bringing an enormous array of fleet experience to the training command. Training Air Wing One is also tasked with training international military aviators from countries including France, Italy, Spain and Brazil. 
Subordinate commands under Commander, Training Air Wing One include the "Eagles" of Training Squadron Seven and the "Tigers" of Training Squadron Nine. These squadrons receive SNA's from Training Air Wing Five (TW-5) at NAS Milton, Florida, and Training Air Wing Four (TW-4) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, upon their completion of primary flight training in the T-34C "Mentor."
VT-7 and VT-9 conduct Total System (TS) strike training in the Navy's newest jet trainer, the T-45C "Goshawk." Upon completion of the TS flight instruction syllabus, the SNA's are designated Naval Aviators and receive their "Wings of Gold."
Learn More About Naval Air Station Meridian HERE!
FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.
Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun! We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity. We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon. We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way. God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always |
