HSL-46 To Hold Change Of Command

During Dennis' tenure as commanding officer, the squadron was highly successful. The Grandmasters won back-to-back Sikorsky Golden Wrench Awards for excellence in aircraft maintenance and also won their third consecutive Retention Excellence Award and was the COMHSMWINGLANT's nominee for the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy, which is presented annually to the aviation squadron, one in the Atlantic Fleet and one in the Pacific Fleet, which has achieved the greatest improvement during the preceding year in operational readiness, inspections, retention, and improvement in the Battle Efficiency Award program. HSL-46 celebrated its' 20th Anniversary with Dennis at the helm. A successful and entertaining weekend was held April 2008, bringing together twenty years of Grandmasters and marking a major milestone in squadron history. Cdr. Dennis will leave HSL-46 to become the Navigator on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

Thompson hails from Ocean Springs, MS and is a 1990 graduate of the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Following flight school, Cdr. Thompson attended the SH-60B FRS and reported to HSL-43 for his first Sea Tour.

From HSL-43, he reported to Washington, D.C. as a Current Operations Briefer on the Chief of Naval Operations Staff and as flag lieutenant to Commander Western Hemisphere Group in Mayport, FL. He served as an FRS instructor at HSL-40 and as Detachment Officer in Charge and Aviation Maintenance Officer in HSL-44. After HSL-44, Cdr. Thompson served on the personal staff of Senator Edward Kennedy and in the Office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Financial Management.

Cmdr. Bradley Garber

Cmdr. Bradley R. Garber will join the squadron as the new executive officer. Garber is from Harrisonburg, Va., and graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Garber's tours include HSL-40, then to HSL-48 for his first sea tour, and the OPNAV Staff as CNO Briefer and Action Officer. He was assigned to the CNO's Global War on Terrorism Planning Cell to develop plans for Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Following his Pentagon tour, he was the Aviation Maintenance Officer in HSL-40. After his instructor tour at HSL-40, he went to HSL-44 as Officer in Charge of Detachment NINE and as Aviation Maintenance Officer. Most recently he was assigned to the Navy Personnel Command where he served as Placement Officer and Aviation Assistant Captain Detailer.

HSL-46 welcomes all past and present Grandmasters, as well as all family and friends, to attend the Change of Command in the HSL-46 hangar on August 14, 2008.

Cmdr. Douglas R. Thompson