THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603140353
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
When the Steeljaws of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 122 (VAW-122) are decommissioned today, a ``lion's share'' of what has been Norfolk Naval Air Station's contribution to counter-drug operations goes with it.
Since 1992, the four E-2C Hawkeye planes based in Norfolk have been designated as a Special Mission Squadron, dedicated to fighting drugs along a wide area that includes the northern tier of South America, Central America, the Gulf Coast and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Peru.
``All of the E-2C squadrons were involved in drug interdiction,'' said Cmdr. Will Dossel, commanding officer of VAW-122. ``But doing that work takes away from sea time, so we picked up the lion's share, to ease the burden on others.''
The squadron was deployed 200 days in 1994, including five months working out of Guantanimo Bay, Cuba. Because the squadron's pilots are all carrier qualified, it is also operationally capable to provide fleet support.
The four radar planes of VAW-122 have already been sent to VAW-177, a reserve squadron based in Atlanta. Three officers from the unit have also been transferred to VAW-177.
The remaining 125 pilots, crew members, administrators and technicians are transferring to other E-2C squadrons, going to shore duty or leaving the Navy, Dossel said.
The squadron's contributions to anti-drug operations include 5,200 hours, more than 1,200 sorties and participation in the interdiction, disruption and seizure of more than 13 tons of cocaine.
So why is it being decommissioned?
``Money,'' said Dossel.
In the early 1990s the squadron was part of Carrier Airwing Six, stationed aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal. When the ship and the airwing were decommissioned in 1992, VAW-122 was redesignated a Special Mission Squadron, assigned counter-narcotics and fleet support missions.
Currently, seven Hawkeye squadrons are stationed on the East Coast, four are on the West Coast and one is in Japan.
The Steeljaws' role in drug interdiction has been to use their planes' rotodome-mounted radar to search designated areas and look for a profile of planes and vessels that has been compiled by the Navy, Coast Guard, Customs Department and Department of Defense.
Once the squadron had done its job, law enforcement officials came on the scene and took over.
Dossel said that the biggest challenge to any Navy drug interdiction work is ``the threat of groups with money, lots of money, to operate in a nontraditional, nonmilitary way.
``We see fewer Mom and Pop operations now, more cartel-run.'' MEMO: WHERE TO GO
Decommissioning ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. today in Building
Lp-34, Norfolk Naval Air Station. ILLUSTRATION: LAWRENCE JACKSON photos, The Virginian-Pilot
An E-2C plane is prepped for its decommissioning ceremony today. The
craft, part of the VAW-122, the Carrier Airborne Early Warning
Squadron 122, has been flown in the war against drugs since 1992.
Cmdr. Will Dossel says the crews of the Hawkeyes are being scattered
to other duties: some to other squadrons, some to shore duty.
by CNB