VAW-121 Receives Pair of Awards

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (NNS) -- The Bluetails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121 were announced as the recipients of two achievements April 3.

The Bluetails were awarded the Rear Adm. Frank Akers Award and the Commanding Officer's wife is the Association of Naval Aviation Dorothy Flatley awardee.

Both awards are evidence of the squadron's excellence during fiscal year 2012.

"This year the Bluetails had a nexus of opportunities," said Cmdr. Darrel Cardone, VAW-121's commanding officer. "We had a much busier operational tempo and the squadron really stepped up and performed at each level."

The Rear Adm. Frank Akers Award is presented to the best carrier airborne early warning squadron in the fleet. The criteria necessary to earn this award includes operational hours, cost effectiveness and overall battle readiness.

While deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in 2012, the operations of the Bluetails were critical to the mission of Carrier Strike Group 8 (CSG8) in assisting with the detection, tracking, and reporting of more than 600 surface and air contacts of interest.

The Bluetails were also cost-effective, saving 34 percent for the year from what their projected operational budget was.

"Acknowledgements and recognition are always nice, but they are never our motivator," said Cardone. "What we look forward to every day is to put 121 percent effort into accomplishing our mission."

In addition to the Rear Adm. Frank Akers Award, Mrs. Katherine "Kate" Cardone, spouse of Cmdr. Cardone, was awarded the Association of Naval Aviation (ANA) Dorothy Flatley award.

This award is given to one spouse from Naval Air Forces Pacific and another from Naval Air Forces Atlantic that have shown outstanding support to Navy families and personnel. The recipient has promoted benefits and activities toward squadron personnel and their families, going above and beyond for their spouse's command and the Navy as a whole.

In 2012, Cardone entered her second year as president of the VAW/VRC (Fleet Logistics Squadron) Officers' Spouses' Association (VVOSA), an officer's spouse group that serves as the main fundraising and administrative body behind the VAW/VRC Memorial Scholarship Fund.

"It's all about family to her," said Cardone. "She approaches the Bluetails the same way she approaches her own family."

In January 2012, Cardone facilitated two major educational changes to Hawkeye-Greyhound community families. She increased the benefits available for VVOSA Fund recipients from $19,505 per year to $22,948 per year and also increased the number of merit scholarships from eight, totaling $11,000 in 2011 to 10, totaling $20,000 in 2012.

From outstanding support of operations to inspiring support of families throughout the fleet, the Bluetails exemplify professionalism.

"What I feel most proud of is that none of this is about me," said Cardone. "This is about the Bluetails' dedication to the mission and me marrying way out of my league."

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