Garnet, Gold & Blue

On a cloudy, humid morning in Pensacola, a crowd gathers in anticipation. Strangers, baking in the sun, they have little in common. Hailing from different locations, generations and backgrounds, they share one label in common—spectator—and today they are here to watch angels take flight.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, a child spots a line of uniformed men approaching. Conversations, started to pass the time, are quickly abandoned for applause. As children wave and service men beam, a veteran in the back begins his narration loud enough for all to hear. Sitting on metal bleachers, the heat is magnified. But no one seems to notice. The presence of the Blue Angels brings with it a cool silence.

In unison, six men cross the runway wearing their signature navy and gold flight suits. With perfect precision they march forward, fanning out as they reach their F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Each pilot climbs into his respective cockpit, straps himself in and trades his Navy cap for a golden helmet. Their canopies now lowered, a ballet of sorts begins outside as the ground crew relays a series of perfectly timed maneuvers. Falling into line like dominos, they sprint away before the first plane taxis out and then swings to the left.

The pilot in the first plane waves to the crowd as he pulls away. The next pilot slowly moves forward, following the first. But before he turns, he signals a familiar greeting to those in the stands. With his arm outstretched, he does the Tomahawk Chop, paying homage to his alma mater before he takes flight.

Only the second from Florida State to hold the coveted title of Blue Angels Demonstration Pilot, Lt. James Tomaszeski (‘00) is an accomplished alumnus and American. Positioned as the number two pilot, he flies at the right wing of the diamond formation and he embodies the Navy’s core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. As a member of this elite squadron, you could say Tomaszeski’s assignment is one to be envied. But along with courage and skill, humility is one of the traits the Blue Angels like to show when they are on the ground. In the skies, it’s a different story. Created in 1946, the Blue Angels are the oldest and most renowned flight demonstration squadron in the world. They perform more than 65 shows per year, attracting a collective audience of 15 million who assemble to see the pilots and aircraft defy gravity with vertical thrusts, precision maneuvers and tight formations. At times, flying only 18 inches apart at a speed equivalent to 400 mph, the Blue Angels push their nearly 25,000 pound F/A 18 Hornet fighter jets to the limit, forcing high G turns and gut wrenching rolls. To fellow pilots they represent the best, but to many in the audience, they represent the men and women who have dedicated their lives and service to our country in the military—a responsibility that keeps them grounded.

“As a Blue Angel, we represent the 540,000 active duty sailors and Marines. But for those who don’t know the difference between the branches of service, we represent the entire U.S. Military and it is so important that we look and perform at our best,” says Lt. Tomaszeski.

The Fork in the Road

Lt. Tomaszeski was not always sure he would join the military. A son of a Naval officer, Tomaszeski grew up near naval bases and saw what military service entailed first hand. Born in Orange Park, Fla., Tomaszeski moved along with his mother and brother frequently as they followed his father on assignments. After graduating from high school in California, Tomaszeski was faced with making a decision on how to spend his future. While he admired his father’s sacrifice and service, he decided to enroll in college rather than signing up. “I had been exposed to the military all my life and was considering joining,” says Tomaszeski. “But I wasn’t sure if I wanted to join because that was what I had always been exposed to. So I decided to go explore.” And explore he did. Tomaszeski returned to his Florida roots and, like his brother, began attending Florida State University in 1997. “I took advantage of every study abroad opportunity I could,” he recalls. “I studied one summer in Paris and a fall semester in Florence.” But then something happened.

“While I was overseas, I remember reading a story about an aircraft carrier off the coast of South Africa and it clicked,” say Tomaszeski. “I thought the idea of serving my country on an aircraft carrier half a world away was phenomenal, especially when I considered landing a plane on a carrier at night. The challenge got me excited.” After he returned, he wasted no time in choosing a major that would lead to an accelerated graduation based on the classes he had already taken. In 2000, Tomaszeski graduated with a degree in Creative Writing and reported for Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola.

Hitting the Books

Like all great achievements, the road to becoming a Blue Angel does not come easy. “When I chose to become a Navy fighter pilot, I had no reason to believe I would be good at it,” Tomaszeski confides. “I had never flown a plane in my life.” Fortunately, he was a good student, a skill that would be necessary to excel in flight school.

“So many people think arriving at flight training school is like a scene from Top Gun. You know the scene where Tom Cruise walks up to guys playing volleyball on the beach in their dog tags?” he laughs. “It’s not like that at all. You have to hit the books to know every bolt of that airplane. It’s just like college—you can either pass, fail or be the best.”

For Tomaszeski, being the best meant being a Blue Angel. To be eligible to apply for a position on the six-person flight demonstration team, a Navy or Marine pilot is required to have a minimum of 1,250 tactical jet flight hours and aircraft carrier qualifications. Of the hundreds of applications received, only a few are handpicked each year to fly, making it no surprise that the number of Blue Angel demonstration pilots is less than the number of United States astronauts. Belonging to this elite group is an opportunity fewer than 265 pilots have enjoyed.

“When I found out I made the cut, it was like lightning striking. Seeing my name on the plane later was an incredible moment,” Tomaszeski says. “I love my truck, but I really love my plane.”

As Fate Would Have It

Tomaszeski is not the only Florida State graduate to see his name in golden calligraphy on a blue jet. Wayne Molnar (’76) was the first. Like Tomaszeski, Molnar attended Florida State before joining the Navy. Unlike him, he did not grow up exposed to the military or even consider joining until after he graduated from FSU with a degree in physical education. “I returned home to Mt. Dora and began teaching middle school P.E. and science,” says Molnar. “Before long, I decided it really wasn’t really for me.”

Looking for a different path, Molnar chose to join the Navy in 1978. “I stumbled into the Navy by accident. It was no grand plan of mine,” he recalls. “I wish I would have known at age 10 that I wanted to be a pilot. A lot of the guys I flew with knew early on and started working towards their goal as teenagers. I, on the other hand, had a lot of crummy jobs along the way and could have saved myself a lot of time and effort.”

When Molnar applied for the Blue Angels, he did not expect to be chosen. “I was one of the lucky few,” he says. Molnar was selected to join the Blue Angels team in 1986 and spent his first year narrating the show. In 1987 and 1988, Molnar flew in two positions. First as the opposing solo pilot and then as the lead solo pilot. “Back then we were flying A4’s that were designed in the 1950’s. Then the Navy decided that we needed new planes— the F/A-18s,” he remembered. “They weren’t going to give us the most modern planes because those go out to the fleet, so they found us some Hanger Queens—the oldest planes that were basically retired. That first year was very challenging to keep them up mechanically.”

After taking a few weeks off to train with the F/A-18’s the Blue Angels took to the skies, practicing their new routines. “Some of our old maneuvers worked and sometimes the planes just wouldn’t bend the same way,” he says. “As we practiced, we discovered we needed to fly at a faster speed or a slower speed or change our roll rate. In some cases we even invented maneuvers. It was a challenging but incredible time.”

Sharing the Dream

Flying high is not the only way the Blue Angels leave their mark. Each Friday before they perform in air shows, Blue Angels visit schools and hospitals. “We spend a lot of time with children encouraging them to stay in school, away from drugs and trying to inspire them to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” says Tomaszeski.

As ambassadors of goodwill, they also receive requests from the Make-A-Wish Foundation and other causes from children with terminal illnesses who want to be a Blue Angel. “Visiting with them is such an honor,” says Tomaszeski. “Our tailors outfit them with small blue flight suits, we take them on tours of the hanger, they put on the headsets and sit in the planes. I am not sure who is left with a bigger impression—us or them. ”

For both Tomaszeski and Molnar, the Blue Angels represent more than just flying. “Each time we go to an air show, we know there are going to be veterans in the crowd,” says Tomaszeski. “It is important to us that when they look at their family member standing next to them and say ‘I was once a part of this,’ that they feel proud.”

“We make a lot of first impressions every week. For those who have never served, we are their window into the military. It’s important that we demonstrate the excellence and professionalism that is carried out on a daily basis from our service members. That’s why we show up with the tight haircuts, the polished uniforms and the freshly shined boots.” he goes on. “Being a Blue Angel is not just about flying. It’s about representing our men and women deployed overseas who have volunteered to be put in harm’s way. It’s a big responsibility.”

New Horizons

Next year, Tomaszeski will end his time with the Blue Angels and will return to life at sea. “I will always be proud of my time as a Blue Angel, but I am looking forward to returning to a carrier squadron,” he says. “The average sailor on board is just 20, which means most of them joined after the attacks of September 11 when the country was fighting a war. They just want to do their part for our country, and I am honored to serve alongside them.”

Molnar also returned for another tour at sea after hanging up his blue flight suit. In 1998, he ended his military career with 20 years of service, but he didn’t give up his golden wings. Instead, he signed on with American Airlines as a pilot. Captain Molnar now lives in New York, piloting flights to London, Japan and South America. He still keeps in touch with some of his teammates, participating in charity events they have organized and support. He also keeps an eye to sky when he flies just in case he spots a Blue Angel on its way to perform.

“The best three years of my life were spent as a Blue Angel. When I tell people this they respond, “Oh, how sad,” Molnar laughs. “Then I tell them, don’t be sad. You don’t realize how good they were! I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”