Cmdr. Kelly E. Bishop relieved Cmdr. Rodney Moss during a change of command ceremony for Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) Whidbey Island onboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island June 30.

Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) Commanding Officer Capt. Eric Simon presided over the ceremony attended staff members, students, family and friends.

During his remarks before turning over command in the Skywarrior Theater, Moss thanked the CNATTU staff for their support during his two-year tour as commanding officer.

"It has been a tremendous honor to be able to lead and work alongside the finest Sailors and Marines our service has to offer," he said. "We train the best for the worst situations and we know confidently, as the students leave CNATTU Whidbey Island they are more prepared for the challenges ahead. I am proud to be the 12th commanding officer, and I am confident that the good work at CNATTU Whidbey Island will be taken to higher levels under the leadership of Commander Kelly E. Bishop."

As commanding officer, Moss saw more than 120 instructors facilitate 88 courses of technical training supporting the EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack aircraft, P-3C Orion long range antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft and the EP-3E (Aries II) signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft. The unit received the Navy Community Service Personal Excellence Partnership Award for fiscal year 2016 under the leadership of Moss.

Moss was selected for the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program in 1999. As a commissioned officer, he served as an Air Bos'n and assistant flight deck officer aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), and as the fuels officer and flight deck officer aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). He also served as the LDO/Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) detailer at Commander Naval Personnel Command, in Millington, Tennessee.

His next assignment is aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Bishop served as the unit's executive officer since December 2015 and addressed the audience for the first time as commanding officer.

"I am absolutely humbled and blessed to serve with such a diverse group of dedicated, hard-working military and civilian professionals," said Bishop. "Team CNATTU Whidbey Island is a true testament of high standards and strong leadership that develop and train the finest Sailors on a daily basis. Thank you for being such an inspiration and it is an absolute honor and privilege to be your commanding officer. I am grateful to be a part of a team that makes a positive impact to the fleet and is committed to mission accomplishment."

Bishop enlisted in the Navy in January 1987 as an Aviation Ordnanceman. She was pinned as a chief petty officer in September 1996, and commissioned as an LDO in January 2000.CNATTU Whidbey Island provides initial rate "A" school and advanced career "C" school training on the EA-6B, P-3C and EP-3E aircraft, as well as training in Micro-Miniature Repair (2M), Senior Enlisted Aviation Maintenance (SEAM) and Flight Deck Fire Fighting.

CNATTU Whidbey Island is a training unit for CNATT, a technical training agent for the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) an organization designed to advance and sustain Naval Aviation warfighting capabilities, under the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) domain.

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