Official HMLAT-303 St. Patrick's Day Command and Shoulder Patches — Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 "Atlas" AH-1Z Viper / UH-1Y Venom MCAS Camp Pendleton Embroidered Patch Set Training the future of light attack — Atlas, AH-1Z Vipers and UH-1Y Venoms, in green for St. Patty's Day. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303), the "Atlas," is the United States Marine Corps' sole AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom fleet replacement squadron, based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, under Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron was activated on April 30, 1982 with four officers and three enlisted Marines, has since grown to over 400 Marines and 45 aircraft, and operates under the tail code QT and the squadron motto "Training the Future of Light Attack." HMLAT-303 trains every newly commissioned Naval Aviator selected for the Marine Corps light attack helicopter pipeline, conversion pilots transitioning from other airframes, and refresher pilots returning to the cockpit — taking each student through familiarization, navigation, ordnance employment, terrain flight, formation, instrument, and night vision goggle phases — as well as training all UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs in the Marine Corps. For more than 20 years the squadron trained AH-1W SuperCobra and UH-1N Twin Huey pilots before transitioning to the modernized AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom under the H-1 Upgrades Program, and the squadron periodically deploys detachments to MCAS Yuma, Arizona, for enhanced range and weapons training. This St. Patrick's Day command and shoulder patch set captures the Atlas community's tradition of marking the day in green. Perfect For: HMLAT-303 Atlas instructor pilots, student replacement pilots, and crew chiefs, AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom pilots and maintainers, MCAS Camp Pendleton residents, MAG-39 and 3rd MAW personnel, Marine Corps light attack helicopter community, AH-1W SuperCobra and UH-1N Twin Huey heritage veterans, and HMLA fleet replacement pipeline alumni. Atlas — training the future of light attack since 1982.
