Commander, Naval Air Forces Vice Adm. DeWolfe Miller and Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic Rear Adm. Roy Kelly were both on hand, June 7, to present Patrol Squadron (VP) 46 with their second Battle Effectiveness Award in as many years.

From October 2016 to September 2017, the Grey Knights of VP-46 exhibited exemplary performance both at home and during a demanding quad-site deployment, maintaining the high standards that have exemplified their motto of being "The Oldest and The Best" patrol squadron in naval aviation.

As commander, Vice Adm. Miller's mission statement is to "man, train, and equip deployable, combat-ready naval aviation forces that win in combat," a vision that the men and women of VP-46 clearly embodied in fiscal year 2017.

The commanding officer of VP-46, Cmdr. Derrick Eastman, emphasized that he could not be more proud of his team. "At home and abroad, VP-46 spent this past year dominating the maritime domain, advancing combatant commander objectives, serving the communities we were located in, and championing a safety climate that is second to none. I am blessed beyond measure to serve as commanding officer of this command."

Despite the remarkable back-to-back Battle "E" win, VP-46 has no plans to rest on their laurels. The squadron will continue to sharpen its warfighting skills during the remainder of its inter-deployment readiness cycle, including participation in the highly anticipated Rim of the Pacific exercise later this summer. VP-46 is attached to Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10, and is homeported at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.

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