After graduating from Penn State’s NROTC program ENS Copper attended flight training in Pensacola. After stops in Mather AFB and NAS Moffett field and he reported to his first P-3 squadron, The Blue Sharks of VP-6 in Barber’s Point HI. There he deployed to numerous west coast sites in Japan and the Asian Pacific. He then joined the Golden Swordsman of VP-47 and went to Adak, AK and Oman for two more six month stints. He enjoyed his time as a Navigator, Tactical Coordinator and Mission Commander as well as his time off in Hawaii.
Completing his first tour, he reported as an instructor for the P-3 training pipeline in JAX, FL. He challenged and mentored new students and tried to impart the wisdom gained by endless hours in the mighty Orion aircraft.
His next transition was to the reserves and the Broad Arrows of VP-62 where he was slated as the senior NFO evaluator and Mission Commander. He completed numerous detachments to the Caribbean and Pacific. He remembers most the Thursday night training flights where the crew would fly up and down the east coast while most folks were asleep and then having to work a full day the next day.
In 2005 after over 4000 hours in a P-3, he was promoted to Commander and took staff positions in EUCOM, Bahrain and the 7th Fleet. Memories include Stuttgart GE in the middle of January with a Florida wardrobe, time on the USS Blue Ridge during the Japan Tsunami and Bahrain during Ramadan. All vastly different experiences.
His last duty was a JSOC mobilization to Europe and Africa for 14 months. His eyes were opened to how the military should function and the professionalism of the folks on the front lines.
CDR Copper retired from service on 1 JAN 2018 and resides in JAX, FL with his kids (all future naval aviators) and wonderful memories of the folks he served with and the flight suits that still smell like the inside of the P-3. He would like to thank his special friend for sponsoring me onto the Wall of Honor, Ms. SMC, who will always have a place under his squadron patch….