January 2022 Veteran of the Month
Jim Seidel is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. He earned a Bachelor of
Science Degree from the Pennsylvania State University in June 1978. He reported to Aviation Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola, FL, the “Birthplace of Naval Aviation” and was commissioned an Ensign in the Naval Reserve in November 1979. Following basic flight training he was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1980.
Following advanced training in the P-3 Orion, LTJG Seidel’s first operational assignment was Patrol Squadron 56, NAS Jacksonville, FL. He served as Airframes Branch, Schedules, Pilot Training and NATOPS officer. He was designated a Patrol Plane Commander, Mission Commander, NATOPS Instructor Pilot, and Post Maintenance Check Pilot. During this tour he deployed to NAS Bermuda and NS Rota, SP. It was during the deployment to Rota, Spain that LT Seidel led four crews on a two-month detachment to Souda Bay, Crete. From there the crews flew daily flights in support of the ongoing Lebanon conflict.
In July 1984, LT Seidel reported to Patrol Squadron 30 at NAS Jacksonville, FL. His primary duties included teaching newly winged pilots the complicated aircraft systems and basics of flying the P-3 Orion. In November 1986, LT Seidel was selected for the Training and Administration of Reserves (TAR) Program and reported to Patrol Squadron 68 at NAF Washington, D.C. During this tour, LCDR Seidel flew anti-submarine missions from every P-3 east coast deployment site including NAS Bermuda, NS Rota, Spain, Azores, NAS Sigonella, Italy, and NAS Keflavik, Iceland. LCDR Seidel was subsequently ordered to Patrol Squadron 64 at NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA where he assumed duties as the “Officer in Charge” of the “Condors” in July 1993. Those responsibilities included directing all facets of squadron operations whenever the Reserve Commanding Officer was not onboard.
In February 1995, CDR Seidel joined the staff of Commander, Naval Air Reserve Force (CNARF) in New Orleans, LA as the Force NATOPS Officer and Maritime Forces (VP) Program Manager. His responsibilities included the management of two Reserve Air Wings and 12 Reserve Patrol Squadrons with annual budget oversight exceeding $78 million.
CDR Seidel assumed command of the Naval Air Reserve Anti-Submarine Training Center at NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA on 23 August 1997. This unique Reserve command’s responsibilities included; the training, standardization, and qualification of all Reserve Force P-3 crew members, providing training for maintenance personnel supporting P-3 equipment and simulators, and the development/evaluation of next generation P-3 operational/training systems.
CAPT Seidel reported to the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) at Scott AFB, IL. in Aug 1999. As the Chief, Reserve Affairs, CAPT Seidel was the principal advisor to the Commander in Chief (CINC) on mobilization, legislative, and training issues for the 84,000 Guard and Reserve personnel war traced to USTRANSCOM. CAPT Seidel coordinated the mobilization of over 14,000 critical Reserve personnel required to schedule, transport, and defend the world-wide movement of all coalition forces, equipment, and supplies in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
CAPT Seidel reported as the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Reserve Brunswick, ME on 17 August 2002. Naval Air Reserve Brunswick is tasked to support the training and administration of all Naval Air Reserve assets and activities throughout greater New England. This included over 1100 selected reservists, drilling in 17 augment units in addition to two Reserve Force Squadrons spread over a seven-state area.
CAPT Seidel has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards) in addition to several other medals and awards. CAPT Seidel retired from the Navy in 2005 after 26 years of service. He worked as the Chief of Logistics for the Veterans Administration in Augusta, Maine before retiring again from government service in 2014. Jim has two children and currently lives in Tellico Village with his wife Linda.
Comments
January 2022 Veteran of the Month — No Comments
HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>