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Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140 “Patriots”

Commander Shane “BP” Salvatore

Executive Officer

CDR Shane “BP” Salvatore
CDR Shane “BP” Salvatore
230330-N-VF554-1003
CDR Shane “BP” Salvatore
Photo By: CDR Shane “BP” Salvatore
VIRIN: 230330-N-VF554-1003

A native of Thorntown, Indiana, Commander Salvatore graduated from Butler University in 2006, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English (Writing). CDR Salvatore was commissioned through the Officer Candidate School program and reported to NAS Pensacola, FL for flight training in June 2006. He earned his Naval Flight Officer Wings in August 2008. In September 2008, CDR Salvatore reported to NAS Whidbey Island and to the VAQ-129 “Vikings” for initial fleet training as an EA-6B Electronic Countermeasures Officer.

CDR Salvatore began his operational flying in October 2009 with the “Patriots” of VAQ-140. While a “Patriot,” he made three deployments aboard USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER (CVN 69), participating in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He also joined the Patriots for an expeditionary deployment in 2011 to Aviano Air Base, Italy in support of Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR.

In 2013, CDR Salvatore returned to the VAQ-129 Vikings to transition to the EA-18G Growler and served as an FRS Instructor and Student Control Officer at the RAG. During this tour, he volunteered for an Individual Augmentee (IA) billet and deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait to serve as the Counter-IED Task Force (TF Atlas) Electronic Warfare Officer for Operation INHERENT RESOLVE in 2016. Upon completion of the IA, he reported to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California in December 2016 and obtained a Master of Arts degree in Homeland Security and Defense when he graduated NPS in May 2018.

CDR Salvatore returned to the fleet as a Department Head in VAQ-138, the “Yellow Jackets.” While serving with VAQ-138, he completed two expeditionary Growler deployments to Misawa, Japan in support of CTF-70 tasking and operated throughout the PACOM theater in places such as Guam and Korea, while serving as the Admin Officer, Operations Officer, Maintenance Officer, and Executive Officer.

Following his department head tour, CDR Salvatore was selected for the SECNAV Tours with Industry (SNTWI) Program and worked at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA where he learned industry’s best practices and collaborated on joint projects for NPS and PACOM. He was selected for squadron command in March 2021 and is scheduled to report to VAQ-140 as the Executive Officer in March 2023.

CDR Salvatore has accumulated over 2,153 flight hours in 6 aircraft and 211 carrier arrested landings, including 92 combat missions. His awards include the Strike/Flight Air Medal (3 awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards) and various service awards and ribbons.

Leaders

Commander Erik Halvorson

Commanding Officer, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140

Commander Shane “BP” Salvatore

Executive Officer

Command Master Chief Kenneth Paul Sheppard

Command Master Chief, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140


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