The "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 held a change of command ceremony in Hangar 526, "The Stable," at Naval Air Station North Island Aug. 6.

During the ceremony, Cmdr. Dewon M. Chaney of Atlanta relieved Cmdr. Stephen O. Johnson of Lynchburg, Virginia, as commanding officer of HSC-23.

In attendance were the 51 officers and 221 enlisted Sailors of HSC-23 along with friends, families, area commanding officers and executive officers. The ceremony celebrated Johnson's successful leadership during the squadron's stand-up of a MQ-8B Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program, two outstanding deployments aboard USS McClusky (FFG 41) and USS Makin Island (LHD 8), and numerous training detachments at various locations to include Tucson, Arizona; Seattle; Las Vegas; and Whidbey Island, Washington.

Prior to turning over command, Johnson told the "Wildcards" that he was extremely proud of all the hard work they had put forth and all the sacrifices they had made, and that to be counted among their ranks was the pinnacle of his 19 years in the U.S. Navy. Johnson's next tour of duty will be with the U.S. mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

Chaney will be HSC-23's eighth commanding officer. Prior to serving as executive officer of the squadron for 14 months, Chaney's previous sea tours include a split tour flying the H-46/MH-60S with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 5 in Guam, and another tour flying the MH-60S Sea Hawk with HSC-25 in Guam. Additionally, he completed a disassociated sea tour as a "shooter" aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. Throughout his sea tours, he made deployments to the Western Pacific, Arabian Gulf, Iraq, and the Mediterranean Sea.

On shore, Chaney has served as flag aide to the Chief of Naval Personnel; attended the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island; and served as Helicopter Sea Assignments Officer in Millington, Tennessee. Chaney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Cmdr. David S. Collins, a native of Philadelphia, will serve as the squadron's executive officer.

HSC-23 is permanently based at Naval Air Station North Island with a mission to maintain and operate 13 MH-60S helicopters, two MQ-8B Fire Scouts, and 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 both carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups.

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