Vince Stolp of Gulf Breeze is the lead air-framer for the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team. He is responsible for helping ensure the squadron’s F/A 18 Hornets and Hercules C-130 ‘Fat Albert’ aircraft are in perfect order to fly. Photos & photo illustration by Scott Page/Splash! The Blue Angels are back, practicing at NAS Pensacola this month, after several weeks on the road at air shows, following the awesome Pensacola Beach show last month.

The Blue Angels are a source of great community pride for those who live in this area. During Red, White and Blues week, everywhere one looked, t-shirts, caps, magnets on cars and flags on houses proudly displayed the Navy flight demonstration team's blue and gold logo.

Gulf Breeze resident Vincent Stolp feels a different kind of pride when the Blues take to the sky. Since 2008, Stolp, an airframer, has been one of 150 personnel wearing the Blue Angels insignia.

"I love aviation," said Stolp, the son of a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. "I love working here (with the Blue Angels). Where else can you get 150 perfectionists together? Everyone here strives for excellence."

Stolp, a native of Guam, grew up around airplanes. "I would go to work with my dad, watching the planes land and take off," Stolp recalled. "I knew early on that I wanted to have a career in aviation."

As do most who aspire to work in the field, Stolp dreamed of becoming a pilot. Life, as it often does, had other plans for the 17-year Navy serviceman.

Stolp instead became an airframer, tasked with maintaining landing gear, structural integrity, controls and hydraulics systems of Naval aircraft. After an overseas deployment to Afghanistan prevented him from doing so in 2005, Stolp applied for and was selected to become a Blue Angel in 2008.

"It's a very intense process," Stolp said of applying to join the elite team. "You have to be deemed worthy by everyone - pilots, administration and maintenance team, everyone."

Stolp is now the head airframer for the Blues, and has traveled the country with the team for the last three seasons. He and his crew are the ones covered with oil, grease and sweat, making sure the planes are performing at their highest level.

"It's a very challenging job; everything happens so fast," he said. "Most days go smoothly, but others we work 12-18 hours. We are the socalled unsung heroes."

The Blue Angels' staff of 150 maintains the same number of aircraft as a normal Navy fleet squadron with a personnel of 350. These guys are truly the best of the best. The payoff of all the hard work is what the public enjoys - six F/A 18 Hornets zooming through the air.

"Our pilots have the utmost trust in us," Stolp said. "They depend on us to do our job and they just hop in the jets and go. Pilots in the fleet have to perform a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft, but the Blue Angels pilots don't inspect their planes."

It would seem that is the ultimate payoff of working for the Blue Angels, but Stolp said there is something even more rewarding – interacting with the public.

Stolp and other Blue Angels make special visits to schools at each show site around the country to speak to students about the importance of hard work, dedication and motivation.

"We try to educate them about the Navy and the Blue Angels and stress the importance of staying motivated and performing well in school," Stolp explained.

Stolp said this program is very important to him, and when speaking, he draws from his own personal experiences – especially the mistakes he made that prevented him from becoming a pilot.

"This has been the most rewarding part of working for the Blue Angels," Stolp said.

Of course, when people find out Stolp is a Blue Angel, they are naturally excited to talk to him.

“They always want to know ‘Are you a pilot?,’” Stolp said. “That's always the most popular question.”

Over the last three seasons, Stolp has traveled to over 30 show sites around the nation. Despite working at shows in California and Hawaii, among other great places in the United States, he said nothing compares to the hometown excitement when the Blues fly in Pensacola.

"We go all out for the home crowd," Stolp said. "Everybody has great memories from all of the shows, but it gives you chills to walk out to the Pensacola show and see it so packed out."

Stolp lives in the Tiger Point neighborhood with wife Aimee McDonald and daughters Meagan, Marissa, Abby and Sara. He credits his wife for affording him the opportunity to work on such a rewarding duty, which often carries him away from home.

"Aimee is the backbone of this family. Without her, I would not be able to do this job. When I'm gone, she has to be both mom and dad. I can't thank her enough for all that she does."

This is Stolp's final season with the Blue Angels, and he will begin his next assignment at Eglin Air Force Base next year. Stolp – who has not received a duty assignment outside the state of Florida in 17 years – will be working in a joint Air Force-Navy program with the brand new Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning.

Stolp said he is excited to work with the new fighter but doesn't yet know much about the aircraft. "It costs a lot of money, I know that."

It could be the final assignment for Stolp, who is only three years away from completing 20 years of service, qualifying him for retirement. When asked if he would retire, Stolp coyly said, "I'm not sure."

He is pursuing his next rank up, E7, and he said there's still a chance he might return to work with the Blues. "It does happen; we have guys come back in. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I ever got the chance."

Stolp and his wife, a small-town girl from Indiana, are sure about one thing – where they want to live. "We love Gulf Breeze. We both like the small-town environment, and this community is great. We want to stay here."

When he eventually retires from the Navy, Stolp plans to become a school guidance counselor. "I just really enjoy speaking to kids and trying to make a difference, and I want to continue doing that."

As area residents prepare to bid the Blues farewell for a couple of months until the Nov. 12 Homecoming Show, Stolp is preparing for what could be a final farewell to what he called the most desirable assignment in the U.S. Navy.

"I have so many memories from the last three years," he said. "I could never forget a command like this. There's a lot of tradition out there. There's nothing like the camaraderie, trust and teamwork among the Blue Angels."

Stolp will make his final trip with the Blue Angels to the Nov. 5-6 show at NAS Jacksonville.

Next year he hopes to experience the Pensacola Beach show in a new way. "I want to watch the show from a boat," Stolp said. "I've never been able to do that."

The Blue Angels return to NAS Pensacola to practice on the following mornings at 8:30 a.m.: Aug. 17-19, 23, 24, 30 and 31.