Ligonier native commands Navy patrol squadron for year

After a year of serving as commander for a Navy patrol squadron, a Ligonier native participated in a change of command ceremony Thursday, highlighting his time with the Mad Foxes.

Carl E. White III relinquished his command of Patrol Squadron 5, or VP-5, to Cmdr. Ronald H. Rumfelt Jr. while flying over the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla.

“Today is really about the men and women of VP-5,” White said in a news release. “I am very proud and humbled by their success. Over the last year, they have excelled whenever called upon in any operational environment. The current pandemic threat is no different. VP-5 is and will remain focused on preparing for the next operational mission through dedicated teamwork and leadership.”

VP-5, also known as the Mad Foxes, is one of the oldest branches in naval aviation and is comprised of over 280 members who fly the Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon.

The change in command came a week after the Navy issued guidance in response to the coronavirus that causes covid-19 for patient placement, infection control and ventilation use, The Navy Times reported. The guidance is in response to the USS Theodore Roosevelt warship, which is docked in Guam with 585 positive coronavirus cases and one death.

Cases on the ship have made national headlines after Capt. Brett E. Crozier was fired by the Navy’s civilian leader, Thomas Modly after Crozier pleaded for help in fighting the coronavirus on the boat, the Associated Press reported.

Days after visiting the warship and shortly after firing Crozier, Modly resigned. Navy officials are now looking at reinstating Crozier, who is seen by his crew as a hero, The New York Times reported.

“We must ensure the health of the force,” the guidance reads. “And we must be laser-focused on the fleet — from manning to maintenance, and from training to war fighting. Operational readiness is our job … and every one of us has a role. Nobody sits the bench.”

White enlisted in the Navy in 1995 as an aviation warfare systems operator, performing general flight duties. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002 and obtained his commissioning in the Navy as an ensign, becoming a naval flight officer in 2003.

“It is an incredible honor to be following Cmdr. White as commanding officer of VP-5,” Rumfelt said. “Our shared values, vision, and commitment to the mission, as well as our commitment to the women and men of VP-5 makes for a seamless transition. Cmdr. White’s leadership, and overall talent of the Mad Foxes, ensures that we are prepared to answer the call for any mission, anywhere in the world.”