COMMANDING OFFICER
VAQ-137
3760 N CHARLES PORTER AVE
OAK HARBOR, WA 98278-6421
Commanding Officer, VAQ-137
Commander Turnage was raised in West Hartford, CT. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. He received his commission from Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL in September 1998. After earning his Naval Flight Officer wings in February 2000, he reported to VAQ-129 at NAS Whidbey Island for training as an Electronic Countermeasures Officer in the EA-6B Prowler.
In May 2001, CDR Turnage transferred to the Scorpions of VAQ-132. He deployed in USS George Washington (CVN-73) and USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, JOINT GUARDIAN, and IRAQI FREEDOM. While assigned to VAQ-132 he served as Schedules Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Avionics/Armament Division Officer, and Personnel Officer.
In September 2004, CDR Turnage reported to VAQ-129, the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), as a flight instructor. He served as a Systems Instructor, Daily and Weekly Schedule Writer, Carrier Qualification Instructor, and as the community’s NATOPS Program Manager.
Following his FRS tour, CDR Turnage reported to Commander Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) based at NAS Lemoore, CA in 2007 where he served as the Future Operations Officer. He embarked with CVW-9 in USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) in 2009 for a WESTPAC deployment.
In 2009, he joined the Garudas of VAQ-134 at Bagram Air Base in northern Afghanistan for his Department Head tour. While assigned to VAQ-134 he helped the squadron transition from an expeditionary to a sea going unit. He deployed twice with CVW-17 in USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NEW DAWN. He served as Administrative, Logistics, and Operations Officer during his time in the Garudas. In 2012 he was awarded the Commander Naval Air Forces Navy and Marine Corps Association Captain Doug Swoish Peer Leadership Category III Award as well as the Electronic Attack Wing’s Individual Operational Excellence Award.
From 2012 to 2014, CDR Turnage was assigned to Pers 43, the Aviation Officer Distribution Division, at Navy Personnel Command in Millington, TN. He served as the Placement Officer for the Electronic Attack Community, Naval Strike and Air Warfare Command, and numerous commands at NAS Pensacola and Training Wing Six. He joined the Rooks of Electronic Attack Squadron 137 (VAQ-137) in April 2015 and deployed in USS Theodore Roosevelt in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. He is currently the Commanding Officer of VAQ-137.
He has accumulated over 2930 flight hours and over 750 carrier arrested landings on nine different aircraft carriers.
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