Topping tops at winging
ceremony
By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
June 26, 2004
Marine 1st Lt. James Stephen Topping of Toledo, Ohio, was honored Friday as the top graduate during the Naval Aviator Designation Ceremony at Naval Air Station Meridian.
Topping received the Golden Stick Award, which is named after the control stick in the T-45C Goshawk the fighter jet in which pilots train. Topping also received $200 in cash.
The award was presented by Roger Burke, president of the Meridian Navy League. It was sponsored by Rolls-Royce Defense Aerospace.
Topping is a 2001 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy where he received a bachelor of science degree in astronautical engineering.
He was named to the Commodore's List during primary, intermediate and advanced flight training and was named Student of the Month for July 2003. He earned three awards for bombing accuracy.
He carrier qualified in the T-45C Goshawk on board the USS Enterprise on May 24. He will be deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., to fly F-18 fighter jets.
Burke said the Navy Meridian Team began presenting the awards a couple of months ago. He said the group wanted to find another way to show its support for NAS Meridian.
The awards, which total about $400, are paid for by community sponsors. Burke said he will look to the community for help in honoring the top pilots.
Bob Martin, site manager for Rolls-Royce at NAS, said he wanted to sponsor the award for two reasons.
In addition to Topping, eight pilots received their "Wings of Gold." They are Lt. j.g. John Kristopher Caldwell of Pinehurst, N.C.; 1st Lt. Douglas Nathaniel Carr of Long Island, N.Y.; Lt. j.g. Christophe Mailhac of France; Lt. j.g. Matthew Nathan Meritt of Denver; 1st Lt. Richard Edward Moritz of Evansville, Ind.; Lt. j.g. John William Nelson of Bellevue, Wash.; 1st Lt. Owen Armstrong Smith of Atlanta; 1st Lt. Christopher Michael Toms of Trumbull, Conn.; and Ensign John Ray Vaughn of Nantucket, Mass.
Change of command
Cmdr. Carol Shivers assumed command of Naval Technical Training Center at Naval Air Station Meridian on Friday during an official change of command ceremony. She relieved Cmdr. Moses Everett, who has served as the commanding officer since May 2002.
