VFA-83 Conducts Airborne Change of Command
24 August 2023
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83 held an airborne change of command ceremony while flying over Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, where Cmdr. Richard Prescott was relieved of command by Cmdr. Benjamin Orloff, Aug. 18.
Capt. Mitchell McCallister served as the presiding official for the ceremony.
Prescott, a native of Avon, Ohio, received his commission in 2003 from the Nuclear Power Officer Candidate School and was later selected for flight training in 2006 ultimately receiving his "Wings of Gold" in 2008. He has previously served with VFA-113, VFA-106 and VFA-87. He also served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, J-3, as an assistant deputy director for operations and presidential strike advisor at the National Military Command Center.
Prescott served as the executive officer for VFA-83 when he reported in Feb. 2021 and then continued on as the commanding officer. During his tenure, led the “Rampagers” of VFA-83 through a deployment aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and executed 1,655 sorties, encompassing 2,283 flight hours, and oversaw more than 150,000 Sailor-hours of maintenance excellence.
“This is the best group of naval aviators I have ever worked with. America is blessed to have such a skilled and courageous group of men and women piloting aircraft that are impeccably maintained by these expert Sailors,” Prescott said. “It’s been a privilege to work with this dedicated team of Sailors. Their skill, commitment, and resilience make every American proud of the U. S. Navy combat team.”
Orloff, a native of Issaquah, Washington, reported to VFA-83 in May 2022 to assume the duties of executive officer. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2005 and was designated a naval aviator in 2008. His previous assignments are aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, graduating from the United States Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31, VFA-34 and NATO Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation.
“I am inspired by the commonplace excellence of the officers and Sailors of this squadron. They are each incredible mentors to one other and to me. They are a challenge to lead, because the greatness of their service deserves to be matched by the quality of their leadership,” Orloff said.
The Rampagers report operationally to Commander, Carrier Air Wing THREE and administratively to Commander, Strike Fighter Wing, Atlantic. They fly the single seat variant of the Navy’s newest strike fighter aircraft the F/A-18E Super Hornet, designed for traditional air superiority, fighter escort, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, close air support, forward air control (airborne), air defense suppression and day/night precision strike, the F/A-18E at the same time increases strike mission survivability and supplements the fleet air defense.