KINGSVILLE, Tx — It was a bittersweet day at Naval Air Station- Kingsville. Those stationed there as well as community members thanked Commanding Officer CAPT. Eric Bromley for his leadership the last two years while welcoming their new Commanding Officer CAPT. Michael Bishop to take his place.
CAPT. Michael Bishop and his family were welcomed back to South Texas with open arms. Bishop went to flight school in Corpus Christi in 2002.
“We are super excited to be back in South Texas once again,” Bishop said.
Bishop said he knows what the relationship between the base and Kingsville community is like from speaking with CAPT. Bromley, pilots and civilians.
“It’s not noise complaints we get, it’s that the locals get concerned when we’re not flying,” Bishop said.
And that’s something Kingsville resident Fred Nuesch knows all too well.
“When you don’t hear them, you miss them. You think ‘uh-oh, the jets aren’t flying, I wonder why’,” Nuesch said.
The Commanding Officer sets the tone between the base and Kingsville for the next two to three years, usually putting a focus on integrating the Navy and embedding them into the community.
“The staff, the pilots, and student pilots become part of the community. We go to Saint Gertrudes Church and they attend. We got a lot of them that really become friends,” Kingsville resident Abel P. Garza said.
In the past two years under CAPT. Bromley’s leadership, the base came to the community. Those stationed at the base volunteered at 18 schools and 11 community events in the last two years, as well as accomplishing many things at the NAS. Now, under new leadership, the community could have more access to the base.
“I’m going to look at how we bring folks onto the base for Navy Day events. I’ve been to other bases where we have open base days where we open up the flight line and do static events, and future air show's schedules. We look forward to welcoming the public onto the base,” Bishop said.
The base has always had a special place in Kingsville’s heart.
“There are a lot of people here in Kingsville who are retired Navy. They come here and then they stay here,” Nuesch said.
And civilians said it’s not just the base that has a special place, it’s the face of the base, as well.
“I’m sure he’ll fit right in just like they all have the last 57 years,” Nuesch said.
CAPT. Bishop will serve as Commanding Officer for the next three years.
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