From staff reports
One of Beaufort’s own will be joining the Blue Angels for the 2026 air show season.
1st Lt. Danielle Cribb, from Beaufort, S.C., will be the squadron’s Public Affairs Officer next year.
Currently the Director of COMMSTRAT at MCAS Beaufort, Cribb, a 2021 graduate of The Citadel, is one of seven new officers chosen to join the Blue Angels – The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron – to replace outgoing team members.
The squadron also selected three F/A-18E/F Super Hornet pilots, a C-130J Super Hercules pilot, an Assistant Maintenance Officer and a Supply Officer.
New team members will report to the squadron in September for a two-month turnover period. Upon completion of the 2025 show season, which concludes in November with the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola, the team will embark on a rigorous five-month training program at NAS Pensacola and Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif.
“Selecting new officers is never easy with such a strong pool of candidates,” said Cdr. Adam Bryan, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. “We’re proud to announce our 2026 officers and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have on next season’s demonstration team.”
The other newly selected 2026 officers include:
F/A-18E/F Demonstration Pilots
- Lt. Ronny Hafeza, from Redondo Beach, Calif., is currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122. He graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2015.
- Lt. Cam Schneider, from Thousand Oaks, Calif., is currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014.
- Lt. Chris Houben, from Geneva, Ill., is currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 2017.
C-130J Demonstration Pilot
- Capt. Olivia Bair, from Findlay, Ohio, is currently assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2018.
Assistant Maintenance Officer
- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jhulem Edejer, from Olongapo City, Philippines, is currently assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139. He joined the Navy in 2004.
Supply Officer
- Lt. Garrett Wiedle, from Fredericksburg, Va., is currently assigned to Electronic Attack Wing Pacific. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2019.
