Tehachapi News

Military: Nicholas O. Whitman

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Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas O. Whitman, son of Carolynn R. Wood of Tehachapi, Calif. and Dave Whitman of Bakersfield, Calif., and fellow sailors of Patrol Squadron 10 "Red Lancers" (VP-10), Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., recently completed the fourth month of their six-month deployment to the Navy's Africa Command and Central Command, operating from bases in Quatar, Djibouti, and Japan.

While deployed, the Lancers have conducted operations in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to include maritime security operations; anti-submarine warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; routine maritime patrol and anti-piracy missions in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden and maintained a 99.5 percent sortie completion rate.

The Lancers introduced a contingent from Patrol Squadron One "Screaming Eagles" (VP-1) to Central Command theater of operations during the Screaming Eagles' two-day visit from Widbey Island, Wash. The Screaming Eagles will replace the Lancers at the conclusion of the units deployment in December.

In Djibouti, during a "Non Sibi" day, meaning not for ourselves, the Lancers helped distribute 10, 000 units of clothing donated by Carter's Inc., Atlanta, Ga. The influx of 270 boxes temporarily shut down the camp post office until the sailors loaded the donations on a truck and moved them into storage. The donations were then distributed with the assistance of the base staff, U.S. Embassy personnel and the Ministry of Women and Family Affairs.

Whitman is a 2004 graduate of Tehachapi High School of Tehachapi, Calif.

For more information and photos of VP-10, please visit www.vp10.navy.mil and www.navy.mil.