The VAQ-133 Wizards recently completed a port call in Bahrain after supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in the 5th Fleet area of operations from the flight deck of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

The stop in Bahrain offered the Wizards some much deserved liberty and a chance for some holiday shopping.

Also while in the Arabian Gulf, sailors continued to strive towards earning their Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist pins while studying for their advancement exams and supporting daily flight operations.

Sailors to earn their EAWS were PS3(AW) Aristide, AD3(AW) Beckley, AD3(AW) Bledsoe, ADAN(AW) Chamberlain, PR3(AW) Diehl, AEAN(AW) Hall, YN3(AW) Hunt, LS2(AW) McCaw, AOAN(AW) Moen, ADAN(AW) Okene and AZ3(AW) Wardlaw.

“These young sailors are getting their EAWS pins much earlier in their careers than I did,” said AZ1 Giles, who runs the Wizard EAWS program. “It is great to see their initiative and desire to accomplish this while on deployment.”

The most recent Sailors to earn their ESWS were: AME1(AW/SW) Pelz, AME1(AW/SW) Baguio, MA2(AW/SW) Brooks and MA2(AW/SW) Smith.

The 2012 second cycle advancement results were recently published and many Wizards were rewarded. The newest 1st Class Petty Officers are: AD1(AW/SW) Arios, AD1(AW) Johnson and AT1(AW) Silvey.

Advanced to 2nd Class Petty Officer were AM2(AW) Baker, AT2(AW/SW) Crook, AM2 Dean, AM2(AW) Gardner, PR2(AW) Mowbray, AT2(AW) Nottestad, AZ2(AW) Taylor, AE2(AW) Ward and AO2 Wilkins.

Making the leap to 3rd Class Petty Officer were AD3(AW) Allen, IS3(AW) Armstrong, AD3(AW) Beckley, AM3 Braaten, AM3 Coulson, AT3 Dicesare, HM3 Goemaere, AT3 Herrera, CTT3(AW) Hjort, AE3 Keener, AD3(AW) Kindell, AT3 Ladd, AM3 Noe, AO3(AW) Ortega, AT3 Rubio, AE3(AW) Skibsted, AM3 Sossaman and PR3 Stromas.

-Lt. j.g. Ryan Hunt

VAQ-133 Public Affairs