Hall of Fame

Heidi Alston Fleming
McGill-Toolen Class of ’85

On the volleyball court or in a P-3C aircraft, Heidi Fleming’s performance is always top-notch. While a student at McGill-Toolen, she played both volleyball and basketball, receiving letters every year. She was a member of the Dirty Dozen state championship teams in 1981, 1983 and 1984. In addition she was chosen for the 1983 and 1984 All-State volleyball teams and was the State MVP in 1984. In 1984 and 1985 she was selected All-County and All-Region as well as many other All-tournament teams. Fleming’s basketball honors include: All-State team, 1984; All-County and All-Region teams, 1983, 1984 and 1985; State runner-up team, 1984; and Honorable Mention Converse All-American, 1985. She was the volleyball team co-captain and basketball team captain during her senior year in addition to being named Carnation All-American for both sports and FCA Mobile Athlete of the Year. Academically, she was a member of the National Honor Society and received awards for Outstanding Achievement in Academics in 1984 and ’85 and Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics in 1985. Other senior year honors include appointments to both the Naval and Air Force Academies, Air Force ROTC Scholarship and U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Award.

While attending the Naval Academy, Fleming lettered 4 years in volleyball. Her team went to the NCAA tournament from 1986 through 1988. During her junior and senior years, she was named to the All-Atlantic Region volleyball team. After graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1989, she continued to play volleyball on various Navy and armed forces teams while furthering her Navy career at flight training school at NAS Pensacola, Florida, and Mather AFB in Sacramento, California. Fleming flew operational missions providing logistical, aerial refueling and airdrop support to Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Sharp Edge, Provide Promise and numerous NATO exercises throughout the Mediterranean theater and the Middle East.

From 1993 until 1996, she served her alma mater as an instructor in the Physical Education department and head volleyball coach. She mentored midshipmen as a faculty member and was a two-time runner-up for the Frank M. Adams Leadership Award-Junior Officer Award chosen from among the 130 officers assigned to the Naval Academy who were the most influential to midshipmen development.

Fleming was accepted by transition board to the VP (Maritime Patrol Squadron) Community in 1996 after combat aviation was opened to females. She completed 2 split-site deployments to Misawa, Japan, and Kadena, Okinawa, conducting operational missions in the Pacific and Asian Theaters. From 1999-2000, she was assigned to Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven flying in the P-3C aircraft with responsibility for the coordination and scheduling of Jacksonville-based patrol squadron operational training flights including those with U.S. submarine forces. Fleming completed 2 deployments with Patrol Squadron 45 for her department head tour, where her responsibilities included all operations involving a maritime patrol squadron of 420 personnel while coordinating the employment of 9 P-3C aircraft to meet counter-drug missions in the Caribbean and NATO exercises in the North Atlantic.

She was hand-picked for the Congressional Appropriations Liaison office for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Pentagon. Recently Fleming was promoted to Commander and selected for Aviation Command. Her military awards include 2 Navy Commendation medals, 2 Navy Achievement Medals and various other campaign and unit awards.

Inducted 2005
Biography updated 11/3/05

Hall of Fame

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