The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, successfully completed a comprehensive unit evaluation, March 1, certifying the team to commence their 2018 air show season.

Inspection teams from Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the "Gladiators" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, conducted the evaluation during the team's winter training at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro. The annual assessment critiqued several functional areas, including safety, legal/ethics, operational standardization, administration, supply and medical, in order to rate the squadron's readiness and ability to safely conduct air shows across the country from March through November.

"Our Sailors and Marines work exceptionally hard to make sure we are doing things by the book, staying in compliance with Navy and FAA regulations, and taking the utmost care of our people and equipment," said Blue Angels Commanding Officer and Flight Leader Cmdr. Eric Doyle. "We put the last 12 months of all our operations on display during the certification process, and this team showed its commitment to maintaining the highest standards over the course of the last year."

Unit evaluators from VFA 106, the East Coast's Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) and model manager for the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, qualified the Blue Angels' Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) program.

"NATOPS ensures that we are operating our aircraft within the limitations and guidelines set forth by the manufacturer and Naval Air Systems Command directives," said Lt. Brandon Hempler, the Blue Angels' Opposing Solo pilot and NATOPS officer.

The squadron's administration department also received high marks from CNATRA assessors for the accuracy and timeliness of evaluation reports, awards, pay and travel. The department processed more than 2,000 travel claims during the 2017 show season with the goal of securing reimbursement of team members' authorized expenses within five days of completing travel.

"We strive to handle as much of the team's admin as possible, so they can focus their energy on giving our audiences 100 percent, whether that's flying a safe and entertaining demonstration or interacting with the public during community engagement events," said Yeoman 1st Class Derrick Demery.

CNATRA evaluators also concluded that the team's supply department meets Navy supply standards in accountability, inventory and financial management after taking an in-depth look at areas including store room security, storage, inventory management and aviation depot level repairable carcass management. The department's meticulous oversight of more than 5,000 consumable line items also resulted in a 100 percent accuracy rating.

Chief Logistics Specialist Jairo Guity, supply department's leading chief petty officer, credits his team of nine logistics specialists for many improvements made to the team's supply management and logistics operations over the past year.

"We have a very dedicated team, and I'm always impressed by their ability to operate in our very dynamic, fast-paced environment," Guity said. "They are applying skills they learned in the fleet to solve many of the challenges we face here. That experience is invaluable, and it has turned the supply department into a high-precision machine."

All 130 Blue Angel team members also received legal and ethics training during the inspection, a biannual requirement for all hands.

"Because of the team's visibility and interaction with the public as part of our mission, we must be absolutely certain we're operating by the book in all we do," said Executive Officer Cmdr. Matt Kaslik.

Following successful inspections of the squadron's day-to-day operations, the final certification required for the Blue Angels to perform was granted by FAA representatives after observing the team's pre-flight brief and assessing the 45-minute flight demonstration for safety and adherence to federal regulations.

"The Blue Angels' mission is very unique, and the feedback we received during this evaluation was critical in ensuring every aspect of the squadron was in compliance - in the air, on the ground, in front of the audience, and behind the scenes," explained Doyle. "We build our demonstration on teamwork and trust. Every single Sailor and Marine needs to trust that each teammate will follow procedures every time, and feels obligated to speak up if something doesn't seem right."

The freshly-certified Blue Angels will open their show season Saturday, March 10, when they perform their first demonstration for the public at the Naval Air Facility El Centro Air Show.

The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the pride and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach. Since 1946, the Blue Angels have performed for more than 496 million fans.

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