TACAMO Community Veterans Association

Historian

Vern Lochausen became the TCVA President in 2012 when TSA was re-chartered. He is also the Association’s historian. He had been a lifetime member of TSA since its start in 1997

During his 25 year career in Naval Aviation, Vern served in six operational flying and acquisition roles in the TACAMO community.  He started as young EC-130 navigator in 1974 in VQ-4. Three follow-on TACAMO tours were in VQ-3 starting with its return to Barbers Point. His involvement in the E-6 dates from the very beginnings of the program in both Naval Air Systems Command, where he was the deputy program manager focused on bringing the Fleet expertise to the E-6 introduction. He commanded the first E-6 squadron in 1989-1990.  When the E-6 squadrons were relocated to Tinker AFB, OK, Vern was the Navy headquarters leader who oversaw the moves, the construction of facilities, and the negotiated support with the US Air Force at Tinker.  He was later the E-6 deputy wing commander, wing commander and task force commander in 1996-1998.

Joining Boeing in 1998 as product development manager for the E-6 program office in Seattle, he lead a research team in the development of a 10-year roadmap for the aircraft and which led to winning the contract for the first phase of the roadmap implementation, airborne Internet access, in 1999 as well as the glass cockpit sole source award to Boeing in the same year. He then returned to OKC as senior manager for aircraft field maintenance and modifications programs. In his portfolio, Vern had several programs supporting U. S. military contract maintenance and field modification programs world-wide with 550 employees at 23 sites.  This included the Navy Tactical Air Warfare program that provided contract maintenance for the “Top Gun” and adversary programs.  He led the successful bid to re-win this 7 year contract in 2000. Later Vern served as the Boeing program manager for the E-6 Mercury program.  He had overall responsibility for the execution of all E-6 contracts including same glass cockpit and airborne Internet communications link mods that he helped start, as well as contractor logistics support, service life assessment studies and all new E-6 business pursuits.  Vern’s last Boeing role was as the Executive Director of Sustainment for the V-22 Osprey program during the aircraft’s successful introduction to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Since his retirement from Boeing in 2011, Vern has worked as a consultant to the E-6 TACAMO Air Wing and the NAVAIR TACAMO Program Office.

Among his community service contributions following his Navy retirement, he was a city councilman in Choctaw, OK and led a road repairs bond campaign and the city/volunteer team that successfully developed and built the new Choctaw Library.

Vern holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and master’s degree in management from the University of Mississippi and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively.

He is a private pilot and lives on a small horse farm in Hollywood, Maryland with his wife Colleen, who is an equine sculptor and competing equestrienne. They raise Spanish Arabian Sport horses.

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In 2016, at the TACAMO Reunion in OKC, Vern Lochausen received the TACAMO Hall of Fame Award.

Director of Histoy Preservation

Captain Dennis J. Warren, USN (Ret)Captain Dennis “Coach” Warren, a native of Kenosha, WI, graduated from Tremper High school in 1980 and Gateway Technical College in 1986.  He enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program and graduated from AOCS in January 1988.  He entered Primary flight training in Pensacola, Florida in March 1988 and was concurrently commissioned an ensign and winged in Beeville, TX in November 1989, and selected to fly the S-3A Viking.Captain Warren reported to VS 41 in San Diego, CA for S-3A anti-submarine warfare training.  In 1991, he transferred overseas to VRC 50, NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, flying the US-3A, completing multiple detachments in support of six deployed carriers throughout the Western Pacific Theater.  Due to the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and the closure of Cubi Point, VRC 50 changed homeport to Anderson AFB, Guam in 1992.Upon transition to the ES-3A Shadow in 1993, Captain Warren reported to VQ 6 in Jacksonville, FL. He deployed with DET Delta in the Mediterranean/Persian Gulf in 1995 with CVW 8 and 1996/97 with CVW3 onboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).  There he flew reconnaissance missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq during DENY FLIGHT, SOUTHERN WATCH, DELIBERATE GUARD, and DELIBERATE FORCE.  And earned his B.S. in Aeronautics at ERAU.In July 1997, Captain Warren returned to South Texas to train advanced jet pilots in the T-45A Goshawk in VT 21.  Due to the decommissioning of the ES-3A squadrons, he transitioned to the E-6 Mercury.  In March 1999, Captain Warren reported to NTSU at Tinker AFB, OK, for E-6 training, joining VQ 4 in August 1999 deploying throughout the U.S. and Europe.  In addition, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Command and Staff War College.  In 2001, he transferred to VQ 3 serving as the Safety/NATOPS Department Head earning the CNO Safety “S” Award in 2001, and served as the Maintenance Department Head.In November 2003, he reported to the Navy Personnel Command as the VQ Community Detailer, fleeting up to VQ/VT (Maritime) Placement Officer and SEA/SHORE Coordinator.  Concurrently, he graduated from ERAU with MS in Aerospace Operations and Aerospace Management.  Captain Warren assumed duties as Executive Officer of the VQ 7 Roughnecks on 8 June 2006 and assumed Command as “Roughneck One” on 12 June 2007.  He qualified as E-6B and Boeing 737NG Instructor/Check Pilot.  While commanding VQ 7, he flew communications missions over Iraq during IRAQI FREEDOM and brought in the Level D E-6B Flight Simulator and E-6B Weapons System trainer.  VQ 7 earned the Commander THEODORE G. ELLYSON Aviator Production Excellence Award for 2007 and the CNO Safety “S” Award for 2007.  Recipient of the 2007 Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award.In August 2008, Captain Warren assumed the duties of Navigator on USS John C. Stennis, CVN 74.  He completed a six month 2009 WESTPAC deployment.  Navigation Department earned the “Navigation White Ship’s Wheel” COMNAVAIRFOR Battle Efficiency Award for two years in a row for navigation excellence.  In addition, Captain Warren was recipient of the 2009 USS John C Stennis “Straight Furrow” Leadership Award, from the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership.In August 2010, Captain Warren reported onboard USSTRATCOM in the J8 Directorate in the following positions: J863, as Chief, National and Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Capabilities branch; May 2011, J85A Deputy Division Chief, Missile Defense and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction; April 2012, J84 Division Chief, Global ISR and Space Capabilities.  In January 2013, he transferred to the J3 Directorate, as CDR USSTRATCOMs direct representative to our nation’s senior leaders as Battle Watch Commander in the Global Operations Center.  Concurrently, he graduated from the Navy’s Post Graduate School with a Masters Certificate in Space Systems.  Captain Warren’s awards include Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Air Medal (Flight/Strike) (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards) as well as numerous campaign and unit awards.  He has flown over 5000 flight hours in 19 different aircraft, NATOPS evaluator in five different aircraft, and has accumulated 389 arrested landings on 10 aircraft carriers.  Captain Warren married his wife Chéri in 1989 and they have three children Tara, Alec and Madeleine.

Event Planner / Executive Assistant / Newsletter Editor & Publisher

Cheryl Vos became involved with TACAMO while assisting with TSA (TACAMO Survivors Association) reunions since 1997.  In 2012 when TSA was re-chartered, she became TCVA’s Secretary, Reunion Planner & the “Trailing Wire” editor and publisher. She also collaborates as TCVA Facebook publisher, Search and Connect Lead (Connecting 2012 HOF winner with TCVA, including VQ-3 Crew 4 Families) and Crew 4 Arlington Quest Lead.

Cheryl’s Naval career begin at HSL-30 in Norfolk, VA in communications, then transferred to the Naval Hospital Patuxent MD, as a Hospital Corpsman.  While serving in the Navy Reserves, Cheryl married Mike Vos (VQ-4) and joined the TACAMO Community.  After leaving the Navy, she moved to Northern Kentucky with her family.  She was employed at Villa Madonna Academy as the Recruitment & Marketing Director.

In 1998, Cheryl’s career took her into the aviation field working for Comair and Delta Connection. Cheryl was involved in the start-up of Delta Connection in 1999 from the very beginnings of the company as Executive Secretary.  While working for Delta Connection in the home offices of Comair, she collocated with Comair Corporate Communications and Marketing Departments. When Delta Connection moved their office to Delta’s home office in Atlanta, she became the Corporate Communications and Marketing Coordinator and company photographer. Cheryl worked with the executive team during Comair’s struggles: Delta acquiring  Comair (2000), 89-day pilot strike (2001), Sept. 11 Attacks, Comair’s Christmas Disaster (The IT system cancelled flight for three days), Delta & Bankruptcy (2005), Lexington plane crash (2006) and Comair' emerging from bankruptcy (2007).   Her projects consisted of layout & publishing the weekly newsletter, creating Comair’s first website and maintaining the site, event planning, coordinating employees recognition program, designing marketing materials, and assisting executives on projects.  She ended her career by collaborating Comair's 30th anniversary celebration for its 7000 plus employees and their families in 2007.  Cheryl retired in 2008.

In 2008, Cheryl began reunion planning and the daily upkeep of TSA.  Which involved in the restructuring and eventually incorporating the new association which is now known as TCVA, a nonprofit 501(c3) association. After the 2009 reunion in Memphis, TN, Cheryl began organizing reunions in different locations. She works with Vern Lochausen on the history of TACAMO as to plan the next reunion locations.  She attends RFN (Reunion Friendly Network) and YMRC (Your Military Reunion Connection) reunion conferences to keep up on legal contracts with hotels and Visitors Bureau Contacts.  In 2013, TCVA awarded Cheryl with the  “Honorary C-130 Flight Engineer” award.

Cheryl has organized and executed the building and renovation of homes in Kentucky since 1989. Now she lives in Hawaii with Mike where they enjoy building houses and brewing beer.  She also enjoys traveling the world and caring for the TACAMO Family.

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In 2016 at the TACAMO Reunion in OKC, Cheryl was presented a Chief’s Certificate of Appointment from Strategic Communications Wing ONE by CMDCM(AW/SS) Jeff Bottoms, Command Master Chief TF-124 / STRATCOMMWING ONE at the TACAMO Banquet.

Financial Accountant / Membership Coordinator

US Navy 1/1/1965 to 1/1/1985

Career in management, evaluation, training and logistics support on both organizational and intermediate levels of aviation maintenance. Lead supervisor of EC-130 G/Q (TACAMO) training unit, directly supervising 32 instructors. Developed preliminary instructor staff requirements for E-6A training tracks. Assigned for two years as the intermediate maintenance supervisor of VQ-4's mobile maintenance facility. Responsible for managing division that repaired avionics equipment. Supervised over eighty O-Level and I-Level maintenance engineering technicians for over three years in support of the TACAMO Module Maintenance Facility (MMF) and the EC-130G/Q aircraft. Developed new maintenance requirement cards for TACAMO Improvement Program, Phase Two aircraft. Served as VQ-4's avionics organization maintenance supervisor and was responsible for directing the repair of VQ-4 aircraft avionics, including working directly with contractor engineers in solving problems with spare, provisioning, training and other ILS issues. Attended program reviews and conferences and participated in ILSMTs. Reviewed and evaluated original and intermediate technical publications. Initiated a hands-on testing and troubleshooting program, utilizing squadron-training equipment. Assigned to the squadron E-6A Fleet Introduction Team and reviewed system and ILS requirements of new aircraft.

Booz Allen & Hamilton 1/1/1985 to 1/1/1986

Provided engineering support to NAVAIR TACAMO section . Reviewed proposed program management plans and contract data item. Reviewed engineering specifications on the Solid State Power Amplifier, Advance Communication Systems, Dual Trailing Wire Antenna System and Compact Very Low Frequency Receiver Systems. Developed funding profiles that included logistic requirements for various ECPs. Provide technical support at program views and technical interchange meetings.

Dual Inc 1/1/1986 -1/1/1997
Responsibility for managing DUAL's support team for the Navy's Strategic Program Office, which includes the High Power Transmit Set Program, the Airborne Command Post, the Avionics Block Upgrade Program and the E-6A program. Responsible for the day to day guidance of fourteen personnel, ranging from entry to senior level staff. The team develops budgets; schedules; drafts and updates and guides through the approval cycle, DOD type acquisition documents. The team also assembles required Procurement Request (PR) documents (Statements of Work, Specifications, Contract Line Item Schedules, CDRL's) as well as routing the Procurement Request through the NAVAIR matrix in order to obtain the correct signatures. The team also tracks over 600 CDRLs for the above programs. The team develops program briefs that are given throughout the Navy and DOD acquisition and operational communities.   Selected personally by the E-6 Program manager to support him with direct technical and programmatic support Project team Program Manager for DUAL's E-6A Avionics Block Upgrade program support team. The team provided technical and administrative support to the PMA 271 Block Upgrade Deputy Program Manager. Program schedules were developed and updated using both Freelance Graphics and Harvard Project Manager. The schedules include acquisition milestones for E&MD as well as production. These schedules also tracked Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) flow or delivery rates to match aircraft induction dates. Developed funding profiles using Quattro for the Block program. These funding documents were updated periodically to match new funding controls and program requirements. Also, developed PMA 271-2 "Spend Plan" that budgeted the total present year APN and RDT&E funds for the Block Program. Drafted and updated several acquisition documents such as Configuration Control Plan, Acquisition Strategy Report, Test Evaluation Master Plan and Acquisition Plan. Also, drafted letters/memorandums to NAVAIR matrix, field offices and contractors. Provided technical support for review and update of contract requirement documents such as ILSD, CDRLs, Statements of Work, and various specifications. Drafted and update program briefs for Block personnel as well as prepared briefs for the Program Manager (PMA 271).

Sabre Systems 1/1/1997 to 6/1/2014

As Program Manager for Sabre Systems, manages the Navy Strategic Command Control and Communications Program Office support. Have direct responsibility for all facets of managing a team of 18 personal in the day-to-day support of the program office. The team supports the core leadership team, including the Program manager and his deputy, and the ten integrated product teams. Oversee and participate in the drafting of DOD-5000.2 documents including Program Baselines, Test and Evaluation Master Plans and Operational Requirement documents; budget spreadsheets including individual OSIP funding requirements; the program office master integrated modification schedule, as well the individual modifications schedule. Also manage the drafting of Government Furnished Equipment Databases and action tracking databases. Direct and participate in drafting of Program Procurement Documents including CDRL, SOWs and Contract Line Items. Oversee the development and administration of the Programs Office Technical Library.

Webmaster

June 1977 - Joined the Navy, Boot Camp in San Diego
August '77 - Reported to NATTC Millington, TN for Advanced Avionics training
August '78 - Reported to RTD in Pax River for TACAMO In Flight Tech training
January '79 - Reported to VQ-4 AT Shop and began flying
January '82 - Reported to VQ-4 W.C. 610 (the Vans) as liaison to AT Shop
May '83 - Left the Navy
August '95 - Attended CoC/reunion at NAS OKC, decided to find my lost shipmates and created TACAMO Survivors website.  Membership grew rapidly.
May '96 - Attended Pax River reunion, hosted by Bill "Buff" Crowell
May '97 - Attended another Crowell reunion and approached "Buff" with forming a Veterans Association around TACAMO Veterans, he agreed.  Approached the reunion attendees with concept and the TACAMO Survivors Association was born.
October '97 - First Board of Directors meeting.  President Barry Coyle, VP "Buff" Crowell, Secretary Franklin Forrest, Secretary Lyn Zepic and Exec. Dir. Mike Vos. Concept, bylaws and goals discussed.
October '05 - Memphis reunion, Mike met Vern Lochausen, determined his interest and invited him to be a leader in our Association, he accepted.
May '12 - NAS OKC reunion, Hall of Fame established
September '12 - new (current) BoD established and renamed to TCVA, new bylaws created and 501c3 non-profit process initiated. Granted August 2014.

Along the way,

Mike worked for Motorola, maintaining machines that produced integrated circuits.

Worked for Picker International and subsequently Philips Healthcare, servicing CT Scanners, MRI's and other radiology related medical equipment. Retired in 2013.

Mike & Cheryl Vos currently live near South Point of the Big Island of Hawaii.

It has been my honor and privilege to serve with the fine sailors of TACAMO and now to help develop a community of both alumni and active duty sailors.  Thanks for being a part of Cheryl's and my life. Aloha!