Flying high
Navy lieutenant gets his Angel wings
By Lynn Warren CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Vallier

The Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy's elite flight demonstration squadron, selects only the very best. Pilots and support staff "personify teamwork, commitment and the relentless pursuit of perfection," explains Lt. Commander Trent Kalp, a former member of the precision flight team.

Lt. j.g. John C. Vallier, currently stationed at the Defense Supply Center located on Jefferson Davis Highway, has passed the Blue Angel's rigorous screening, interview and selection process, and will join the squadron as a supply officer in Pensacola, Florida, at the end of September.

Vallier's two-year tour will take him to approximately 70 cities across the United States, coordinating a substantial budget and an inventory of parts and contract services for arguably the world's most recognized precision flight team.

The 30-year-old officer earned his wings as a Navy aviation supply officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier, giving Vallier the opportunity to apply for the position with the Blue Angels.

The process began with visits to air shows in Louisville, Atlanta and Andrews Air Force Base. "I got to sit in on the pre-show pilot briefings, see the shows and then just hang out with the team after the shows," recalls Vallier.

After being selected as one of 12 finalists, Vallier flew to Pensacola in July to face a personal interview with the group's 16-member officer cadre. "They want to see what kind of person you are both professionally and personally," explains Vallier. Extensive background checks had already been completed and accepted. During the interview, the Blue Angels were interested in the lieutenant's motivation and how well he was suited to the group's two-year tour.

"I'm tickled to death that I was selected. I will be in charge of the cream of the crop, handpicked maintenance crew," says Vallier. He will have the additional responsibility of acting as a liaison for air traffic control and site safety.

Vallier will also experience riding in the backseat of an $18 million Boeing F/A18 Hornet, which is capable of flying 1,200 mph, during practice sessions. "I'm going to be as wide-eyed as a kid," he confesses. "It will be a real experience."

Vallier came by his admiration of the Blue Angels naturally. As a child, Vallier's father, a retired Air Force pilot, took him to see the Blue Angels many times. "I know what it is like to be a kid and see the Blue Angels for the first time," he says. "When I put that blue flight suit on for the first time, I then become a role model for children too. I must lead by example."

Since the Blue Angels began performing in 1946, a show has never been canceled because an aircraft wasn't properly maintained or repaired. "These guys (the maintenance crew) are incredibly dedicated. They'll work all night, nonstop, to get the planes and the show going," says Vallier. "I take being a member of the Blue Angels very seriously. If you dedicate yourself to their core values of honor, courage and commitment, it will take you far."

An estimated 17 million spectators saw the Blue Angels perform in 35 cities last year. Combining Navy and Marine Corps members, the 110-man contingent put on a total of 68 air shows.