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nia in January 2011, where he served as the
Avionics/Armaments (AVARM) Division Officer,
Line Division Officer, Landing Signals Officer,
Schedules Officer, Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground
Weapons and Tactics Officer, and Assistant Operations
Officer. Damon completed two deployments
to the Western Pacific and Middle East
aboard the USS John C. Stennis in Support of
Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom.
Damon then reported to Marine Fighter Attack
Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101), the
“Sharpshooters,” at MCAS Miramar, California
in April 2014 as an instructor pilot and also
served as Schedules Officer, Assistant Air-to-Air
Phase Head, and Assistant Carrier Qualification
Phase Head.
Damon Joined the Blue Angels in September
2016. He has accumulated more than 1,300
flight hours and 280 carrier arrested landings.
His decorations include a Strike Flight Air Medal,
the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement
Medal, and various personal and unit awards.
Lieutenant Commander
Nate Scott, United States
Navy
Lieutenant Commander Nate
Scott is a native of Danville, California
and graduated from Monte
Vista High School in 2003. He attended the University
of Southern California, and graduated
with a Bachelor of Science in Business through
the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in
2007, and was commissioned an Ensign in the
U.S. Navy.
Nate reported to Naval Air Station (NAS)
Pensacola, Florida, for aviation indoctrination in
August 2007. He completed primary flight training
in the T-34C Turbo Mentor at NAS Corpus
Christ, Texas, and completed intermediate and
advanced flight training in the T-45C Goshawk
at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. He received his
wings of gold in November 2009.
Nate then reported to Strike Fighter
Squadron (VFA) 106, the “Gladiators,” at
NAS Oceana, Virginia, for initial training in
the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Nate reported to
VFA-103, the “Jolly Rogers,” at NAS Oceana in
November 2010, where he served as the Landing
Signals Officer, Air-to- Surface Weapons
Training Officer, Quality Assurance Officer,
Naval Air Training and Operation Procedures
Standardization Officer, and Mess Officer. Nate
completed two Arabian Gulf deployments with
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and flew
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Nate returned to VFA-106 in November
2013 as an instructor pilot and LSO, serving as
Carrier Qualification Phase Head and Assistant
Phase Head, Hornet Avionics Division Officer
and First Lieutenant Division Officer.
Nate joined the Blue Angels in September
2016. He has accumulated more than 1600
flight hours and has 270 carrier-arrested landings.
His decorations include a Strike Flight Air
Medal, a Commendation Medal, a Navy and
Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various
personal and unit awards.
Lieutenant Commander
Lance Benson, United
States Navy
Lieutenant Commander Lance
Benson is a native of McPherson,
Kansas, and graduated
from McPherson High School in 2002, where
he lettered in football. He attended Kansas
State University (KSU), Salina, Kansas, and
graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Airway
Science with a Minor in Business in May 2006.
After serving as a Flight instructor at KSU for
three years, Lance reported to Naval Air Station
(NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for Officer Candidate
School and was commissioned an Ensign in the
U.S. Navy.
Lance reported to NAS Pensacola for aviation
indoctrination in November 2006. He completed
primary flight training in the T-6 Texan II
at Vance Air Force Base, Enid, Oklahoma, and
completed intermediate and advanced flight
training in the T-45C Goshawk at NAS Meridian,
Mississippi. He received his wings of gold
in March 2009.
Lance then reported to Training Squadron
(VT) 9, the “Tigers,” at NAS Meridian as an
instructor pilot. He reported to Strike Fighter
Squadron (VFA) 106, the “Gladiators,” at NAS
Oceana, Virginia, in April 2010 for initial training
in the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
Lance reported to Strike Fighter Attack
Squadron (VFA) 22, the “Fighting Redcocks,”
at NAS Lemoore, California, in February 2011,
where he served as Landing Signals Officer
(LSO), Aircraft Division Officer, Personnel Officer,
Mess Officer, and Joint Mission Planning
System Subject Matter Expert. While assigned
to VFA-22, Lance completed two deployments
aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), and flew in
support of Operations New Dawn and Enduring
Freedom.
Lance then reported to Training Squadron
(VT) 7, the “Eagles,” at NAS Meridian in March
2014 as an instructor pilot, and also served as
LSO, Public Affairs Officer, Mess Officer, and
Formation Stage Head.
Lance joined the Blue Angels in September
2015. He has accumulated more than 2,100
flight hours and 200 carrier-arrested landings.
His decorations include a Strike Flight Air
Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement
Medals, and various personal and unit
awards.
Commander Frank
Weisser, United States
Navy
Commander Frank Weisser is
a native of Atlanta and graduated
from North Springs High School
in 1996, where he lettered in football and track.
He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Maryland, graduated with a Bachelor of
Science in Mathematics in 2000, and was commissioned
as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy.
Frank reported to Naval Air Station (NAS)
Pensacola, Florida, for aviation indoctrination
in October 2000. He completed primary flight
training in the T-34C Mentor at NAS Whiting
Field, Florida, and completed advanced flight
training in the T- 2C Buckeye and T-45C Goshawk
at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. He received
his wings of gold in November 2002.
Frank was chosen as a Selectively Retained
Graduate and remained with Training Squadron
(VT) 7, the “Eagles,” at NAS Meridian as an
instructor pilot for the T-45C.
While assigned to VT-7, he served as the
Squadron Facilities Manager and Schedules
Officer.
In June 2004, Frank reported to Strike
Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, the “Gladiators,”
at NAS Oceana, Virginia, for initial training in
the F/A-18C Hornet.
Frank then reported to Strike Fighter
Squadron (VFA) 87, the “Golden Warriors,” at
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