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Commander Edmund "Finger" Poynton
Commanding Officer, Airborne Command & Control Squadron (VAW) 125
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Commander Poynton grew up in Havertown, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to the Navy, he worked as a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), completing projects in New York City and Washington D.C. before relocating to PwC’s Hong Kong office. He returned to the United States in March 2004 to attend Officer Candidate School and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in June 2006 while assigned to VAW-120.
In January 2007, CDR Poynton reported to VAW-121 and deployed aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), and twice aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). While at VAW-121 he co-authored an Urgent Operational Needs Statement to incorporate classified internet chat capability into the E-2C, which was endorsed by Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command.
CDR Poynton returned to VAW-120 as an instructor, and served as the Weapons and Tactics Phase Head and Assistant Operations Officer. During this tour he was awarded the 2011 Navy and Marine Corps Association’s Leadership Award. Additionally, he graduated from the Naval War College’s Fleet Seminar Program, earning his master’s degree, with distinction.
Following instructor duty, CDR Poynton served as the Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) Assistant Operations Officer and deployed aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) flying OEF combat support missions with the VAW-126 Seahawks. Prior to his department head tour, CDR Poynton reported to the Chief of Naval Operations, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division (OPNAV N13) in August 2014, where he was the Navy Staff’s policy subject matter expert for all officer special and incentive pay programs.
In April 2016, CDR Poynton joined VAW-124 where he served as the Admin, Operations, and Maintenance Officer. He earned his air wing mission commander qualification and completed his fourth combat deployment supporting Operation Inherent Resolve from the Arabian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean Sea from aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). Following his department head tour, CDR Poynton reported to the Joint Staff (J35) as a Global Force Management action officer and lead planner for future year rotational force coordination.
CDR Poynton reported to VAW-125, forward deployed to Iwakuni, Japan, in May 2021 as the Executive Officer. Flying from the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) he completed his fifth combat deployment supporting Operations Freedom's Sentinel and Allies Refuge during the final retrograde of coalition forces from Afghanistan. CDR Poynton assumed command of the world famous Tigertails in August 2022 while underway in the Indo-Pacific.
CDR Poynton is thankful to the Grayhawk, Bluetail, Bear Ace, Seahawk, and Tigertail Sailors who have allowed him to accumulate over 2500 flight hours and 500 arrested landings in the E-2C and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. He has been published in the Navy Safety Command’s Approach magazine, and twice in the classified Naval Air Warfare Development Center Journal. His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Strike Flight Air Medal (five awards), Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), and various other unit and campaign awards.
Last Updated: 26 October 2023
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