About Us

Stuart Wittmeier grew up in Wilmington, NC where he attended Hoggard high school and graduated class of 2003. He then enlisted in to the Marine Corps and shipped out to boot camp at Parris Island, SC in 2004.  Stuart was eventually trained and qualified as a CH-46E helicopter crew chief and mechanic and was stationed at both Marine Corps Air Station Pendleton and Miramar in California with the Knight Riders of HMM-164 and then Evil Eyes of HMM-163. While stationed there, Stuart deployed multiple times with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom and then again off the Horn of Africa for anti-piracy operations in support of the Captain Phillips rescue. During his time as a crew chief Stuart attained the rank of Sergeant and held advanced qualifications in aircraft maintenance and the weapons, tactics, and employment of assault helicopters.

Stuart left active duty in December of 2009 and began pursuing a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, along with an Airframes and Power Plants rating through the FAA. Stuart graduated in 2012 and began applying for Officer Candidate School with the hopes of once again getting back into the air. Stuart was accepted and attended the Officer Candidate School in the fall of 2013 where he earned his commission as a Marine Officer.

After completing Officer Candidate School and The Basic School, Stuart continued on the path to flight school, completing Introductory Flight Screening and Aviation Preflight Indoctrination in December 2014. Stuart then checked into his primary flight training squadron with the Shooters of VT-6, followed by intermediate helicopter training with the Eight Ballers of HT-8, and finally advanced multiengine flight training with the Stingrays of VT-3. Stuart Wittmeier finished flight school in July 2016, earning Naval Aviator wings from MATSG-22 in Corpus Christi, TX.

Stuart then checked into the fleet replacement squadron VMMT-204 Raptors in August 2016 and qualified as an MV-22B Osprey pilot in March 2017, Stuart was then assigned to VMM-263 Thunder Chickens on Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, NC where he spent the next four years holding numerous jobs around the squadron in both the maintenance and safety departments. Stuart Deployed with VMM-263 in 2018 to Europe in support of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force SPMAGTF to assist coalition forces during actions in Africa. Stuart attained numerous flight and instructor qualifications in the MV-22B Osprey while attached to VMM-263 as well as attending the Navy’s aviation safety school in January of 2020.

Stuart Then received orders to become a flight instructor in Pensacola, FL with the Black Birds of VT-2. While instructing Stuart has amassed more than 1,000 hrs in the T-6 Texan turbo prop trainer, instructed hundreds of student military aviators from both U.S. and coalition forces and holds multiple standardization and safety qualifications with the squadron.

Stuart Wittmeier’s personal decorations include two Air Medals for action during OIF, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.  He holds multiple FAA ratings for various types of aircraft and is qualified as an airline transport pilot. Stuart is married to Rebecca Wittmeier and together they have three children, Russell, Joanna, and Gregory.