Yager takes over as CSFWL leader

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Captain Craig W. Yager relieved Captain Thomas V. Halley Thursday as Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic (CSFWL), in a change of command ceremony at NAS Oceana.

Yager reports to CSFWL after serving on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC. A naval aviator, Yager has 3,700 flight hours and 690 carrier arrested landings.

Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic is the Navy's largest type wing with 18 squadrons flying more than 300 aircraft composed of six different variants of the FA-18 Hornet and Super Hornet. The wing, based at NAS Oceana, is also home to the east coast FA-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) which trains pilots and Weapons System Operators (WSOs).  The fleet squadrons deploy as part of Carrier Air Wings (CVWs) on aircraft carriers on both the east and west coasts. Five of the CVWs are under the command of CSFWL.

Halley commanded CSFWL since March 2007. Also a naval aviator, Halley has more than 4100 flight hours in the FA-18A-F aircraft and has over 1100 carrier arrested landings. His next assignment will be with Commander, Joint Crew Composite Squadron ONE (Counter IED Task Force), Baghdad, Iraq.