By Javier Chagoya

NPS Senior Military Faculty, Department of Operations Research, Capt. Jeff Hyink, back row center, is pictured with family following his retirement ceremony at the Roman Plunge, July 28. Hyink, who is also an NPS alumnus graduating with distinction in 2007, trotted out Navy-life anecdotes and a sea story worthy of retelling.

"I'm thankful to the Navy for offering such a great opportunity to serve this country. The Navy put me through college, kept my folks out of the poor house, gave me the keys to an F/A-18 Super Hornet, and put me through grad school," Hyink said.

"That's mostly true … They don't make keys for jets," he quipped.

Hyink shared the story of his welcome to combat as a F/A-18 fighter pilot. After a catapult launch of his Hornet, the operation at hand was to deliver 6,000 pounds of ordnance, the aircraft's maximum bomb weight, to destroy a strategic airfield in central Iraq. Hyink colorfully described whisking his aircraft above the gauntlet of surface-to-air defenses, and dropping a devastating blow on target. It was the first night of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said, an air campaign known as 'Shock and Awe.'

"Unfortunately, following the mission, as we arrived at our refueling point, we found ourselves on top of a large thunderstorm. We learned over the radio that our tanker was assigned to a lower altitude, which I reckoned to be way down in the guts of the rainstorm," Hyink recalled. "Not deterred by the driving rain, we got refueled after 20 minutes of wingman-close formation and made it back for an arrested landing just as the sun was rising over the Mediterranean."

In addition to his hair-raising tales, Hyink also thanked his family for their support throughout his career.

"I've been fortunate that most of the service I've been committed to has somewhat fallen into place and in line with my own interests. The 'service' portion of it came fairly naturally after watching my mother's tireless efforts over many decades of service. Her service to community, and to those less fortunate, dwarfs most of ours," he said.

During the ceremony, NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ronald A. Route awarded Hyink with the Legion of Merit (Gold Star in lieu of Second Award). He also received a Letter of Congratulations upon his retirement from the Office of the Governor, signed by California Governor Jerry Brown Jr.