Cmdr. David S. Collins of Lansdale, Penn., relieved Cmdr. Dewon M. Chaney of Atlanta, Ga., as Commanding Officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 "Wildcards" during a change of command ceremony held in Hangar 526, "The Stable," aboard Naval Air Station North Island. Cmdr. Justin T. McCaffree, a native of Shepherd, Mont., will serve as the Executive Officer.

In attendance were the 50 officers and 225 enlisted Sailors of HSC-23 along with friends, family, and many distinguished guests. The ceremony celebrated Cmdr. Chaney's successful leadership during the squadron's three outstanding deployments onboard USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS America (LHA 6), and USS Boxer (LHD 4), as well as numerous training detachments at various locations to include Las Vegas, Nev. and Tucson, Ariz.

Prior to turning over command, Cmdr. Chaney told the "Wildcards" to "continue your tradition of excellence and continue to lead the community as the finest squadron in the Navy." Cmdr. Chaney's next tour of duty will be at the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, DC.

Cmdr. Collins will be the ninth Commanding Officer of HSC-23. Prior to serving as executive officer of the squadron for 15 months, Collins' previous sea tours include a tour flying the H-46 with HC-8 in Norfolk, VA, and another tour flying the MH-60S with HSC-21 in San Diego, Calif.. Cmdr. Collins also completed a sea tour in the Air Department onboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). Throughout his naval career, Cmdr. Collins has completed deployments to Kuwait, as well as to the Fifth and Sixth Fleet Areas of Operations.

Ashore, Cmdr. Collins served as an MH-60S Fleet Replacement Instructor Pilot at HSC-3 in San Diego, Calif.; Flag Aide to the Director, Air Warfare Division on the Chief of Naval Operations Staff; and U.S. Strategic Command's liaison to the Missile Defense Agency. Cmdr. Collins holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture from the United States Naval Academy and a Master in Business Administration from Regis University.

HSC-23 is based at Naval Air Station North Island with a mission to maintain and operate eleven MH-60S helicopters and three MQ-8B Fire Scouts. They prepare for and deploy helicopter detachments aboard U.S. Pacific Fleet ships conducting anti-surface warfare, special operations support, personnel recovery, humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and logistics for carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups, as well as providing airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support with the MQ-8B Fire Scout from Littoral Combat Ships.

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