Capt. Forrest Young relieved Capt. Michael Wosje as commanding officer of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 at a ceremony held at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, March 1.

"I ask that as you continue to move forward in 2018 that you never forget that freedom is not free. You have to be ready," said Wosje. "First to fight. That has always been the case for us... we stand on the shoulders of giants who served in the Pacific theater in WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Sept. 11th War on Terror, and we continue to be the first line of defense here in the Pacific."

Wosje, a graduate from the University of Notre Dame, joined the CVW 5 staff as the deputy commander in Aug. 2015 and assumed command in Dec. 2016. He led the men and women of CVW 5 through three Western Pacific deployments and countless exercises to include trilateral training with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and Republic of Korea Forces, bilateral training with various countries and military forces, anti-submarine warfare training with various units, a sinking exercise (SINKEX) in which USS Rentz (FFG 46) was used as part of strike training, Keen Sword exercises, Valiant Shield, Talisman Saber, Silent Banshee, Forager Fury III and Annual Exercise.

Young, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, joined the CVW 5 Staff as the deputy commander in Dec. 2016. He assumes command with more than 20 years of experience to include his start at CVW 2 aboard USS Constellation (CV 64), and his time as commanding officer of the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Young has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours and more than 1,000 carrier arrested landings.

CVW 5, the nation's only "9-1-1" air wing, is a critical combat strike element of Battle Force 7th Fleet, the only forward-deployed carrier strike group in the U.S. Navy.

CVW 5 consists of the "Diamondbacks" of VFA 102 flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the "Royal Maces" of VFA 27 flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the "Eagles" of VFA 115 flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the "Dambusters" VFA 195 flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the "Shadowhawks" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 flying the E/A-18G Growler, the "Tigertails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 flying the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 Det. 5 flying the C-2A Greyhound, the "Golden Falcons" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 flying the MH-60S Seahawk, and the "Saberhawks" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 flying the MH-60R Seahawk.

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