The “Bluetails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121 held an airborne change of command ceremony, July 18, above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Cmdr. Martin N. Fentress, Jr. relieved Cmdr. Michael L. McGlynn as commanding officer of VAW-121.

“The Sailors of VAW-121 are incredibly prepared for the next commanding officer,” said McGlynn. “On the maintenance side, this is the best collective group of maintainers that I’ve had the privilege of working with. The success this squadron has had has largely been due to the Chiefs Mess and their sailorization all the way down to the youngest airman. The officers here, who fly these planes, are the most tactically savvy that I’ve come across.”

McGlynn served as the former executive officer of VAW-121 from Dec. 2016 to May 2018 prior to taking over as commanding officer. Under his leadership, the squadron executed two full work-up cycles and one six-month deployment aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). McGlynn departed the “Bluetails” midway through an around-the-world deploymen aboard Abraham Lincoln. His next tour will be to serve as the Air Operations Officer, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12.

“I would like to thank my team for all the hard work they have done over the past 30 months of my tour here,” said McGlynn. “They have done everything we’ve asked of them under some of the worst conditions. They’ve done back-to-back work-ups and back-to-back deployments. Every single day they show me the kind of effort that you would expect of a top-notch squadron. They will be incredibly successful when Cmdr. Fentress takes over, because I know they will show him the same level of professionalism, dedication and effort.”

Fentress, a native of Norfolk, Va., served as executive officer at the Hawkeye/Greyhound Fleet Replacement Squadron, VAW-120 from December 2015 through August 2017 prior to assuming the position of executive officer of VAW-121. Fentress has accumulated over 2,000 flight hours in the E-2C/D Advanced Hawkeye, F/A-18D Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet, and F-16B.

"It’s a really special time," said Fentress. "I am absolutely humbled to have this opportunity. VAW-121 has a very special place in my heart and in my family’s heart. I did my department head tour in this squadron, and it was the best operational tour I’ve ever had. To return to VAW-121 as the commanding officer of a squadron with such a proud history is a dream come true. A lot of us work really hard to be a commanding officer. To be a commanding officer of my favorite squadron and be out to sea – I couldn’t ask for anything better."

With regards to the direction he plans to take VAW-121 in the future, Fentress said he would like the “Bluetails” to continue their pursuit of excellence every day.

“I would like to be able to deliver to the commander of CVW 7, Rear Adm. Boyle and ultimately to our entire chain of command the missions sets that they are requesting every single day without question. At the end of the day, I want everyone to return home safely to their families and to maintain the “Bluetail” brand of taking care of one another. We are achieving excellence and the pursuit of excellence every single day.”

VAW-121 embarked with Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12), Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2), USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW 7).

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