command patchVT-3 Red Knights // Training Air Wing Five

VT-3 Leadership

Commanding Officer

CDR John Gustine

CDR John "Conky" Gustine, a native of Carbondale, Colorado, graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York, in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Naval Systems Engineering. He commissioned on May, 2004 and began Naval Flight Officer training in Pensacola, Florida with the VT-4 "Warbucks" and then the VT-86 "Sabrehawks." He graduated flight training earning his Naval Flight Officer "Wings of Gold" in April 2006.

After completing EA-6B training at the Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129 "Vikings" at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, in 2007, CDR Gustine was assigned as an Electronics Counter Measures Officer (ECMO) to VAQ-134 "Garudas" deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan. He deployed to Bagram in 2007, 2008, and 2009 during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) in support of more than 210 combat missions.

After his JO tour, he was selected for the Naval Aviator transition program. He began Naval Aviator training assigned to the VT-3 "Red Knights" at NAS Whiting Field and then VT-9 "Tigers" at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. He graduated flight training and earned his Naval Aviator "Wings of Gold" in June 2012. He completed EA-18G training at VAQ-129 in February 2014, CDR Gustine was assigned to VAQ-139 "Cougars" aboard USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70). VAQ-139 deployed in August 2014 to June 2015 in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (OIR), and he executed over twenty combat missions over Iraq and Syria.

In August 2015, CDR Gustine joined the VAQ-131 "Lancers" and attended Aviation Safety Officer School. After completing a cruise aboard USS GEORGE BUSH (CVN 77), he screened for Department Head and moved to NAS Atsugi, Japan with VAQ-141 "Shadowhawks" in November 2016. He deployed four times aboard USS RONALD REGAN (CVN 76), in support of Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF) operations supporting numerous multi-national and joint exercises with Japan, South Korea and the USAF throughout PACOM.

After his DH tour, CDR Gustine reported to the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Current Operations Center (N2C2), HQ NORAD at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, in 2019. He served as the J3 Missile and Space Domain (MSD) Chief and Deputy for multiple operational crews and was recognized as the N2C2 Missile Defender Warning Officer of the year for 2020 by the Missile Defense Advocacy Agency. CDR Gustine was then selected as the MSD Chief Instructor at the J73 in Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in October 2020.

His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1), an Individual Air Medal (1), the Strike/Flight Air Medal (11), the Navy Commendation Medal (2), the Joint Service Achievement Medal (1), the Navy Achievement Medal (2), and various service awards and ribbons. CDR Gustine has accumulated over 3,400 flight hours with over 425 arrested landings and more than 230 combat missions totaling over 940 combat hours.

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