Normally I like to keep my blogs focussed on the real estate. But as we close the year, I wanted to take a minute to talk about some of the most important people we have in Ventura County and the country as a whole. A few weeks ago, I was honored to attend the Change of Command Ceremony for my friend and client Commander William Reed. He took over the Command of the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squandron One One Seven from Commander Fred Goldhammer. I was part of an intimate group of people who were invited to witness this time honored tradition of the US Navy.
Living in Santa Rosa Valley and Camarillo, surrounded by so many men and women who serve out country out of Pt. Mugu and Pt. Hueneme and other areas around Ventura County is always a reminder to me about the sacrifice these people make on behalf of you and I, the citizens of the USA and our constitution. But there was something about being there that day. On base at Pt. Mugu, hearing Captain Kevin Mannix talk about the threats we still face around the country and then, especially hearing about what this specific group of men and women will do over the next 12 months drove it home for me. We have the leisure of our freedom, we have the ability to walk and talk and create wealth and go to church and so many other things that we take for granted because of men and women like the Wallbangers and my friend William Reed.
For those of you who don't know, and I certainly did not until a few weeks ago, but the mission of the Banger Nation is "First off the flight deck and the last to recover, the Wallbangers provide Command and Control and Airborne Early Warning ANY TIME, ANY PLACE in order to accomplish our Warfare Commanders' intent. The Wallbanger team stands ready to deliver time critical situational awareness and decisions necessary to support our Navy-Marine Corps, Joint, and Coalition Partners in waging ware and peace." They fly (as you can see from the pictures) "the most advanced version of the Northrop-Grummann E-2C Hawkeye 2000, an all weather, carrier based airborne command and control aircraft that provides early warning surveillance of enemy disposition..."
The Change of Command Ceremony was a real reminder for me just how dangerous a world we still live in. It was a real reminder for me just how much the men and women of our armed services give for our freedom. I can't say thank you enough. Words are just insufficient to match the sacrifice. But, nevertheless, I say thank you for your commitment and your sacrifice, for your hard work, for the loved ones who stay home and support you, for the loved ones who support the spouses and children of these brave Americans.
I am honored to call Commander William Reed my client, I am blessed to call him a friend and I am humbled by the job he has undertaken to lead the Banger Nation on behalf of our country.
