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Bases
ucky travelers driving down Whidbey Island’s Highway 20 are treated to impromptu air shows almost daily. Navy Growlers, the sharpnosed jets that are the Navy’s answer to increasingly technological-driven warfare, seemingly defy gravity in 90-degree turns. Four-engine turboprop P-3 aircraft soar steadily overhead on surveillance training missions, and the occasional search-and-rescue helicopter practices operations while pausing over the coastline. They all belong to Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, a base landmarked on Highway 20 with two static displays of the Navy’s Prowler and Intruder jets. Since 1942, Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island has played an important role in the nation’s defense effort. It has sent personnel to every significant military operation in the modern era, most recently in support of operations in the Middle East and the geopolitically significant Exercise Vigilant Ace — U.S. exercises with South Korean military to ensure familiarity between the military operations of both countries. During the 2005 process where numerous bases where either closed or combined, NAS Whidbey Island was rated as having the highest value of all the examined Pacific bases. About 7,000 uniformed men and women are stationed here. The base also employs about 2,400 civilians and currently supports operations for six types of aircraft. There are 15 Naval squadrons of electronic warfare personnel with colorful names like the Scorpions, the Wizards and the Gray Wolves. NAS Whidbey Island includes military housing, aircraft maintenance facilities and, of course, two huge runways. This is also the base that made headlines last year when a spirited pilot used his jet’s contrails, the condensed water streaming from behind the engines, to draw a huge penis in the sky over Eastern Washington. It is a place where few civilians know what goes on past the base’s highly fortified security check points. It is also the source of enormous pride from residents, as well as its share of noise complaints from the deafening jets overhead. In late spring, we decided to take a behind-thescenes look at what goes on here. To do that, we followed a squadron, the Garudas, as they went about their day-to-day tasks. We also sat down with Captain Geoffrey Moore, commander of NAS Whidbey Island since February 2016, to gain an understanding of the work being done on the base and its role within the community. — Catherine Torres July 2018 49