By Capt. Kat Ohlmeyer, U.S. Air Force Public Affairs
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NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. (NNS) -- While the B-2 bomber has already seen many milestones in its first 10 years, the 394th Combat Training Squadron (CTS) is currently training the program's first Navy pilot, who will fly his first B-2 sortie here next month.
Lt. Michael Orr, a native of California, has been flying the EA-6B Prowler for the Navy since 1998 and began his B-2 training with the 394th CTS in April.
The Prowler is the only platform that denies, disrupts and degrades the enemy's radar, so the crews are charged with supporting inter-service assets.
Since the Prowler helps the B-2 elude radar through electronic attack, the 509th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) began bringing Prowler students from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., in 2000 to teach them about the B-2 mission. Orr was one of the students in the second class to visit Whiteman and that was when his assignment with the 509th Bomb Wing (BW) started to take shape.
"While I was out here, I started talking to some of the guys in the OSS and I asked them how you become a B-2 pilot," Orr said. "And I just happened to casually say, 'Well, have you ever had a Navy B-2 pilot?'"
The response Orr received was not what he expected because OSS members said they would like to have a Navy pilot in the program, specifically a Prowler pilot and a graduate of the Prowler Electronic Attack Weapons School. In fact, Orr was asked that day what he would be doing in a couple years.
Orr said he just laughed off the question. However, just five months later, as he was preparing for deployment on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) for Operation Enduring Freedom, he received a call from 509th BW officials saying they were serious about having him come fly for the wing. But the process of getting a Navy pilot orders to an Air Force base to learn how to fly an Air Force plane is not easy.
"It's probably the greatest personnel story ever," Orr said. "Not only did I have complete support by our bureau of personnel to do this, but also from the Prowler community."
In fact, Orr said he was slated to go to the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), which is similar to the 394th CTS, as a Prowler instructor pilot at the end of his deployment. But, the Prowler community didn't let that stand in the way of his opportunity to be a part of the 509th BW.
"They basically agreed that allowing me this opportunity to expand my professional experience was in the best interests of the Prowler community and my contribution to it," he said. "Fortunately, the commander of the FRS was willing to fall one pilot short in manning for this to happen."
Once his training in the 394th CTS is complete, Orr will be assigned to the 509th OSS as the wing electronic warfare officer, working on projects to maximize the B-2's stealth capability.
"I knew if I took this job I would be able to work on some interesting projects involving the B-2, and that was probably the biggest lure for me," Orr said.
Lt. Col. Brian O'Rear, 509th OSS commander, said the 509th benefits tremendously from having Orr integrated in the B-2 program.
"We usually go to war with EA-6B support, and strengthening our ties with that community is mutually beneficial. It makes the whole team stronger," said O'Rear.
Another benefit of Orr's assignment, for him and the 509th BW, is seeing how another service works.
"Having a Navy pilot in the B-2 helps us continue to increase interoperability with our sister services," O'Rear said. "No service goes to war alone. It takes a team effort. Bobby brings a slightly different perspective to our program and makes us a more lethal fighting force."
But Orr admits there is a small part of him that is proud to be here because he'll be able to look back and know he was the first Navy pilot to become a B-2 pilot.
"It's not the overriding reason, but it's kind of cool," Orr said. "I hope that when this is all said and done, they [the 509th BW] will look back and say this was definitely worth it and that they got out of me what they hoped. And in the same regard, I hope the Prowler community finds that this was worth it, because if they don't, I will have failed."
For more news from around the fleet, visit the Navy NewsStand at
www.news.navy.mil.
"The power to Destroy the planet, is insignifigant to the power of the Air Force----Mudd Vader
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