Capt. Kevin Lynch

Lynch takes charge of COMHSWINGLANT

By Lt. Eric Young
AOPS

Capt. Kevin Lynch relieves Capt. James Pendley as Commander, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Wing, U. S. Atlantic Fleet in a Change of Command Ceremony today at 10 a.m. in Hangar 123.

Lynch, a native of Bordentown, N.J., graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1980 before attending flight training that culminated with his designation as a naval aviator in 1982.

Upon receiving his wings, Lynch was assigned as a search and rescue pilot flying the SH-3G at NAS Oceana, Va. Following his stateside stint, Lynch then headed overseas and became a member of the forward-deployed HS-12 ''Wyverns'' in Atsugi, Japan. This proved to be just the first of multiple postings abroad, and allowed him to make several WESTPAC cruises aboard USS Midway.

In 1987, he returned stateside, and reported to NAS Jacksonville as an instructor pilot with HS-1. Upon completion of this tour, Lynch took his second posting abroad as the air officer aboard USS Lasalle in Manama, Bahrain. True to form, he then continued what would be a pattern of moving abroad and returning to Jacksonville. After his year on USS Lasalle, Lynch once again returned to the seawall to serve as maintenance officer and executive officer of the HS-9 ''Sea Griffins,'' making deployments aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt and the and USS Saratoga. During this period, he supported Operations Desert Storm, Comfort, and Provide Promise.

Capt. James Pendley

His next series of assignments him out of the operational loop as he furthered his education and tactical acumen by graduating from the Naval War College and completing an OPNAV Fellowship at the Center for Naval Analysis in Washington, D.C.

He then reported to the OPNAV staff as a political-military analyst for the Director of Navy Roles and Missions Working Group and the Director Navy Staff.

With the lessons of a staff tour under his belt, Lynch once again returned to NAS Jax and the operational side of the house with his appointment as commanding officer of HS-15. This command tour would culminate with the squadron winning the 1998 Battle ''E,'' the Safety ''S,'' and the Arleigh Burke Trophy.

Following his command tour, Lynch headed back to Japan to assume duty as executive officer aboard USS Kitty Hawk.

This was followed by another tour in Florida with the Readiness Remediation Division of the U. S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla.

Lynch has accumulated 4,300 flight hours in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. He and his wife, Betty Jane, have three sons, Justin, Bryan and Kyle.

Pendley's next duty assignment will be as operations officer at Commander, Naval Air Force/Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in San Diego, Calif.