MILTON — Cmdr. Jim Brownlee became the Command Executive Officer of Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida on Monday, May 15, following an already distinguished career in Naval Aviation.
Brownlee was born in 1970 in Upper Black Eddy, Penn., a small town on the Delaware River where he spent much of his youth boating and fishing up and down the river.
"Not much has changed in town over the years," Brownlee said, whose parents still live in the house they bought just after he was born. "When I visit, it really is like coming home."
As a child, Brownlee was given his first exposure to flying in a Cessna by his parents, Rita and Art Brownlee. "It was my mom, sister and me along with the flight instructor," Brownlee said. "I got to sit in the front seat and from that point on I wanted to fly."
After high school, Brownlee attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in airway science management in 1994. The degree required Brownlee to earn his professional pilot's license, giving him a greater taste of life in the cockpit, and leaving him wanting more.
"Aviation was what drew me to the Navy," Brownlee said, who by then had solid knowledge and experience in the profession to build upon.
Brownlee joined the United States Navy after college, reporting to NAS Pensacola for Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1995. After commissioning as an Ensign, Brownlee reported to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas to fly the T-34C Mentor II in Training Squadron Twenty- Eight (VT-28), followed by NAS Whiting Field, Florida to fly the TH-57 Sea Ranger in Helicopter Training Squadron Eight (HT-8).
Brownlee earned his Wings of Gold as an Unrestricted Naval Aviator onboard NAS Whiting Field in 1998, and learned to fly the MH-53 Sea Dragon at Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMT-302), Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina. At that time, the Navy had a detachment assigned to HMT-302.
"Although we were on a Marine base at a Marine squadron, we flew with Navy instructors," Brownlee said.
Following HMT-302, Brownlee learned tactics and warfare at AMCM Weapon Systems Training School before reporting to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Four, NAS Sigonella, Italy in April of 1998.
His time at Sigonella was an especially memorable one in Brownlee's career, and he encourages others to take advantage of the opportunities and life experiences their careers present. "Get out and experience as much of the culture as you can," Brownlee suggests.
Brownlee spent a tour of duty in HC-3, in San Diego, Calif., as a flight instructor and onboard the USS Nassau (LHA-4) as the safety officer. He returned to HC-4, Norfolk, Virginia as a department head until the squadron was deactivated in 2007, and he was transferred to HSC-2.
"San Diego was my first instructor tour," Brownlee reminisced of his time in HC-3. "It's where I realized how much I enjoyed being a flight instructor, directly impacting the students coming through the Fleet Replacement Squadron. Training the next generation of aviators just prior to them going to their first operational tour was very rewarding."
Brownlee spent a significant portion of the past decade in Norfolk, working on NATO-level strategic planning, serving in Carrier Strike Group 12, earning a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in 2008, deploying on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) for the ship's final deployment, and then transferring to Tactical Training Group Atlantic in nearby Naval Station (NS) Dam Neck, Virginia.
"Working with all the NATO nations was eye opening," Brownlee said. "As one of the most successful alliances in history, it was incredible to experience working with such a vast number of countries with vastly different cultures."
In January 2018, Brownlee reported to NAS Whiting Field as the prospective executive officer, where he began training for the command position, as well as requalifying in the TH-57.
Brownlee has two goals for himself as the Executive Officer of NAS Whiting Field – to effectively lead and support the Sailors and civilians he works with, and to find a way to leave the base even better than the CNIC award winning installation that it is today.
"NAS Whiting Field is a great place to work. I'm very proud to be here," Brownlee said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: NAS Whiting Field Welcomes New Command Executive Officer