TEAM | OFFICERS

Commander Alexander P. Armatas is a native of Skaneateles, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering.

Alexander joined the Blue Angels in August 2022. He has accumulated more than 4,100 flight hours and 911 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, four Strike/Flight Air Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various personal, unit and service awards.

Lieutenant Commander Jack Keilty, is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he attended Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School, graduating in 2005. He attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA, where he lettered in Football and earned a Bachelor's Degree in History in 2010. Upon graduation he was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy and reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API).

Jack joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. He has accumulated more than 2,300 flight hours and 484 carrier arrested landings. His decorations include a Strike Flight Air Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, Two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other unit and personal awards.

Lieutenant James Wesley Perkins is a native from Pordenone, Italy, grew up in Georgetown, Texas, and graduated from Hutto High School in 2009. He attended Texas A&M University graduating with a degree in Ocean Engineering in 2014. Perkins commissioned as an Ensign through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

Wesley joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. He has accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours and has 205 carrier arrested landings. His decorations include a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and various other unit and personal awards.

Lieutenant Commander Amanda Lee is a native of Mounds View, Minnesota. She graduated from Irondale High School in 2004, where she competed in soccer, ice hockey and swimming. While attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, Amanda enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) and reported to her first command, VFA-136 "Knighthawks." She was selected to commission as a Pilot through the Seaman-to-Admiral (STA-21) commissioning program in 2009. The following year, Lee attended the Naval Science Institute (NSI) for officer training in Newport, Rhode Island, and simultaneously began her studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry.

Amanda joined the Blue Angels in September 2022. She has accumulated more than 1,800 flight hours and over 225 carrier-arrested landings. Her decorations include four Navy Achievement medals and various personal and unit awards.

Lieutenant Commander Griffin Stangel is a native of Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from Madison West High School in 2008. He attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Air Traffic Control in 2012. Immediately after graduation, he reported to Newport, Rhode Island where he received his commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy after completion of Officer Candidate School.

Griffin joined the Blue Angels in September of 2021 and has accumulated more than 1,855 flight hours and over 190 carrier arrested landings. His decorations include three Navy and Marine Corps Achievements Medals, and various other unit and personal awards.

Commander Thomas Zimmerman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from St. Paul's School in 2004 lettering in football, wrestling and lacrosse. After graduation, he attended the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, for one year prior to attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He lettered in lacrosse at both schools and graduated from the Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering; earning his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2009.

Thomas joined the Blue Angels in September 2022. He has accumulated more than 3,100 flight hours and 542 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, and various other unit and personal awards.

Lieutenant Connor O’Donnell is a native of Freeport, Maine and graduated from Yarmouth High School in 2011. Following high school, he attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Research.

Connor joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. He has accumulated over 1,200 flight hours and more than 200 carrier-arrested landings. His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and various unit and service awards.

Lieutenant Commander Brian Vaught is a native of Englewood, Colorado. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 2004, where he lettered in Lacrosse. After high school he attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. Upon graduation, Brian worked in professional sports marketing and promotions, eventually attending Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he earned his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2011.

Brian joined the Blue Angels in September 2022. He has accumulated more than 1,500 flight hours and over 303 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, and various other unit and personal awards.

Commander Bryce Aubuchon was born and raised in Washington, MO. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2005 with a BS in Marketing and captain of his college hockey team for his final two years. In 2006, after working in the civilian world as a physician recruiter, he attended Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL, and was designated a Naval Aviator in July of 2008.

Bryce joined the Blue Angels in September, 2023. He has accumulated more than 3,100 military flight hours around the world to include 2,300+ Pilot-in-Command and more than 1,300 hours of aircraft instructor time across three platforms. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, three Navy Achievement Medals, and various personal, unit and service awards.

Major Joshua Soltan is a native of Spokane, Washington where he graduated from Central Valley High School in 2006. In 2010, he graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation and a Minor in Business Administration. In August of 2010, he earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps through the Platoon Leaders Course program. He reported to Officer Selection Office, 12th Recruiting District Seattle, Washington as an Assistant Officer Recruiter. In 2011, he transferred to The Basic School at Camp Barrett, Quantico, Virginia to complete training.

Joshua joined the Blue Angels in 2021. He has accumulated more than 1,600 flight hours, 5 combat hours, numerous operations and exercises in the European, Middle Eastern, and the Pacific areas of responsibility. His decorations include the Humanitarian Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various personal and service support medals.

Captain Samuel Petko is a native of Osceola, Indiana. He graduated from Penn High School in 2009, where he wrestled and played rugby. After high school, he attended Indiana University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. In 2016, he earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps through Officer Candidate School and reported to The Basic School aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

Samuel joined the Blue Angels in 2022. He has accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours and multiple instructor qualifications over the course of multiple joint, bilateral and multilateral exercises in the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility. His decorations include the Humanitarian Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various personal and service support medals.

Isaac Van Zandt Becker is a native of Austin, Texas. While a student at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Isaac applied for the Platoon Leaders Course and attended Officer Candidate School in May of 2016. After graduating from Colorado College in May of 2017 with a degree in Geology, Isaac commissioned as a 2ndLt in the United States Marine Corps where he then received orders to report to The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia. As an aviation contract, 2ndLt Becker graduated from Fox Company, TBS in March of 2018.

Isaac reported to the Blue Angels in September 2023. His awards include the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory R. Jones is a native of Cary, North Carolina. He graduated from Green Hope High School in 2003, where he lettered in baseball and cross country. After high school he attended Elon University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in physics while also lettering in baseball. Upon graduation, he attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island where he earned his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2009, and was designated an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer in 2010. He also completed a master's degree in business administration from Liberty University in 2018.

Gregory joined the Blue Angels in August 2022. His decorations include a Navy Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Achievement Medal, and various campaign and unit awards.

Lieutenant Commander Natalia Luchetti, is a native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. She graduated from Dr. Pedro Perea Fajardo Vocational High School in May 2001. She enlisted under the Delayed Entry Program in February 2001 and departed for basic training on 6 August 2001. After completing basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois, she attended Seaman Apprenticeship Training School. She graduated from Thomas Edison State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Military Studies.

Natalia joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. Her personal decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (nine awards), Good Conduct Medal (five awards), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and various unit, campaign, and service decorations.

Lieutenant Commander Philippe A. Warren is a native of Williamsburg, Virginia. He graduated from Lafayette High school in 2010 where he lettered in swimming. He attended the University of Virginia and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. After graduation, Philippe was accepted into Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he earned his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2014 and graduated with an M.D. in 2018. While in medical school, he was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society due to his extensive volunteer work with pediatric cancer patients.

Philippe joined the Blue Angels in September 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit and personal awards.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Mara Mason is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She is a 2018 honors graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Affairs Journalism and Vocal Performance.

Mara joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. Her decorations include a Navy Commendation Medal.

Lieutenant Benjamin Bushong is a native of Hagerstown, Maryland. He attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina as a part of the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography; earning his commission in the U.S. Navy in May 2016.

Ben joined the Blue Angels in September 2023. His decorations include a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and various other personal and unit awards.