Lt. Kristen Boye has earned the qualification of U.S. Naval helicopter aircraft commander after completing more than five years of training and study.

Now stationed in San Diego, Boye is a 2012 graduate of Howland High School and studied aeronautics at Kent State University. She graduated from Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, in November 2016 and continued her training in Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla.

She then completed Primary Flight School at Whiting Field in Milton, Fla.. She was selected for the advanced rotary pipeline after completing the primary syllabus and was transferred to HT-28 (Hellions), where she flew the TH-57 B and TH-57 C helicopters. Although there was a 60 percent attrition rate, Boye earned her wings in October 2018 and was selected to fly the MH-60R (Seahawk) helicopter.

She was transferred to HSM-40 (Airwolves) at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Fla., where she continued her training at the Fleet Replacement Squadron as a fleet replacement pilot for the MH-60R. She received orders to fly the MH-60R for HSM-35 (Magicians) in San Diego.

Boye is instrument- and commercial-rated in both fixed wing and rotary wing. She is qualified to fly search and rescue, special operations support, surface warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, torpedo employment, missile employment, rocket employment, night vision goggles and combat formation.

Her aircraft is a multimission platform known for its anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, naval special warfare insertion, search and rescue, vertical replenishment, and medical evacuation capabilities.

On Nov. 6, 2020, Boye completed her first deployment on the USS Sterett (DDG 104), Arleigh Burke-class destroyer as a part of the Nimitz Strike Group (3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleets). She was promoted to the rank of O-3 LT (lieutenant) on Nov. 11, 2020. She became a tactics instructor for HSM-35 at Naval Air Station North Island in December 2021, post-deployment on the USS Dewey.

She has conducted multiple 5th Fleet operations including the Straits of Hormuz and Red Sea transits, as well as 7th Fleet surveillance and reconnaissance. Boye is a recipient of the National Defense, Sharp Shooter, Sea Service, Global War on Terrorism, Expeditionary Navy Unit Commendation, and Afghanistan Campaign Medals. She will receive a Naval Achievement Medal in October 2022 and will report to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake for Search and Rescue Orders later this year.

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