Lt. j.g. Audrey Petersen received her Naval Aviator "wings" during a ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, Oct. 28.

Audrey is a 2014 graduate of Vanderbilt University Navy Recruit Officer Training Corps (NROTC) and is slated to pilot the MH-60S Seahawk with the "Island Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 in Guam.

"This is a huge deal, so incredibly special for me," said Audrey. "Every time I fly, I fly with six other dog tags that belong to the other service members of my family. Two are Marines, the other four-my mom, my dad, my brother and my grandfather's wings. All aviators. It is an honor to be the next one in line."

Audrey was pinned with her wings of gold by her mother, Amy Petersen and father, Craig Petersen during the ceremony.

"I am very proud of Audrey as she receives her wings," said Amy. She's had tremendous support from her family, but each time she gets in an airplane or helicopter it is just her, and the accomplishment is hers alone."

Her Mother, Amy, retired as a commander with 2,393 accident-free flight hours in the Navy Reserve. She was winged at NAS Corpus Christi in June of 1985 and flew EC-130s with VQ-4 at NAS Patuxent River and the TC-4C with VA-42 at NAS Oceana. She is currently a United Airlines 747 first officer with more than 16,000 flight hours.

Her father, Craig, also retired from the Navy Reserves in May 2014 with 1,478 accident-free flight hours and 439 carrier-arrested landings. A 1984 graduate of the Marquette University NROTC program, Craig received his Naval Flight Officer wings in August 1985 at NAS Pensacola. He flew A-6 Intruders with VA-85 and VA-75 at NAS Oceana.

Her brother, Austin, is a 2012 graduate of Vanderbilt University NROTC and received his wings in April 2014, also at NAS Whiting Field. He flies the MH-60S with HSC -14 at NAS North Island and is currently a lieutenant with 653 flight hours.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have all four of us physically qualified, to have all four of us interested in flying, and to have all four of us have successfully earned our Wings of Gold," said Amy. "Military service is a way of life for our family"


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