A change in leadership of naval air forces is scheduled to take place at Coronado's Naval Air Station North Island today.
Vice Adm. David Buss is scheduled to relieve Vice Adm. Allen Myers, who is moving to the Pentagon to be deputy chief of naval operations for integration of capabilities and resources.
Buss, who graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1978, will have the dual job of commander of Naval Air Forces and commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet's naval air forces, both based at North Island Naval Air Station.
The Lancaster, Pa., native was most recently the deputy commander of U.S. Fleet Forces in Norfolk, Va.
Buss completed his initial flight training in 1979 on the A-6 Intruder. His early flying assignments included aircraft carrier-based squadron tours aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the USS Nimitz and the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
He commanded the USS Sacramento, a combat support ship, during the opening stages of Operation Enduring Freedom following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. He then commanded the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis from 2003 to 2006 and the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise Strike Group from 2009 to 2010.
Buss also served 14 months in Baghdad as director of strategy, planning and assessment for Gens. David Petraeus and Ray Odierno.
Prior to coming to San Diego, Myers, a native of northern Virginia, was a director of warfare integration and an air warfare division in Washington, D.C. The 1978 United States Air Force Academy graduate also commanded Carrier Strike Group Eight, Expeditionary Strike Force 5th Fleet and the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group during an extended deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in 2006 and 2007.
Earlier in his career, Myers commanded Fighter Squadron 32, flying F-14 Tomcats based on the Eisenhower while deployed to Bosnia and the Persian Gulf.
