VQ-7 Change of Command today Published March 9, 2012 By Navy Lt. Kale Streeter VQ-7 Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Navy Cmdr. Mark C. Hustis will take over for Navy Cmdr. Frank P. Volpe Jr. as commanding officer of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Seven during an official change of command ceremony today at Tinker AFB. VQ-7 is the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the U.S. Navy's E-6B Mercury. Commander Hustis will take the helm as the Roughneck squadron's 12th commanding officer since it transitioned from Naval Training Support Unit in February 2000. Commander Hustis takes charge after spending the last 12 months as the squadron's executive officer. He now presides over the training and readiness of aircrews prior to their arrival at either VQ-3 or VQ-4, and serves as the model manager for the E-6B Mercury. Navy Capt. Tim Pedersen, Strategic Communications Wing One commodore, will be presiding over the ceremony with Capt. Erik Johnson as the guest speaker. When Commander Hustis takes command, he pledges to "continue to train and evaluate the world's finest aircrew, ensuring they are combat ready and prepared to execute the tasks of strategic deterrence and National and Nuclear Command and Control." The Take Charge and Move Out community's 16 E-6B Mercury aircraft enable the president of the United States and the Secretary of Defense to directly contact submarines, bombers and missile silos protecting our national security through nuclear deterrence.