Earning the Front Seat: Capt. Lanza’s Fight to the F-35B

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. James T. Lanza’s journey to the cockpit of the Marine Corps’ most advanced fighter began at Herkimer County Community College, where he earned an associate degree in accounting. He continued his education at the State University of New York at Oneonta, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting before commissioning into the Marine Corps and reporting to The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia.

“I wanted the toughest challenge and the opportunity to lead the finest warfighters on the planet,” said Lanza. “The other branches do great work, but the Marine Corps doesn’t just offer you a job, it demands a transformation. I wanted to be at the tip of the spear in an organization where the standard is absolute excellence, and every single person is focused on mission accomplishment and lethality.”

Following TBS, Capt. Lanza reported to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination. Training as a naval flight officer with Training Air Wing Six, he graduated on the Commodore’s List with Distinction. He then received orders to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for fleet replacement training as a weapons and sensors officer on the F/A‑18D Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 101. After completing his training, he reported to the “Red Devils” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232 in October 2021. During his time with VMFA 232, Capt. Lanza served as the S4 officer in charge (OIC), substance abuse control officer, joint mission planning system officer, and classified materials custodian. His performance led to his selection for the Naval Flight Officer (NFO)-to-Pilot Transition Program.

“It was a phenomenal foundation,” said Lanza. “Flying in the backseat of the F/A‑18D with the ‘Red Devils’ taught me tactical execution of the battlespace from the ground up. You learn complex task management, sensor employment, and exactly what it takes to put warheads on foreheads. Beyond the cockpit, serving as the S4 OIC taught me what it takes to logistically sustain a combat-ready squadron.”

After being selected for the transition program, Capt. Lanza transferred to NAS Whiting Field for primary flight training. Assigned to Training Squadron 6, he once again graduated on the Commodore’s List with Distinction and was selected for the Naval Strike Fighter Training Program and reported to NAS Kingsville. In August 2024, Capt. Lanza graduated from strike training, earning selection to fly the F‑35B Joint Strike Fighter with VMFAT-502 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar.

“The NFO-to-pilot transition is a grind, but it’s exactly what you expect from Marine aviation; demanding and unforgiving,” said Lanza. “I had to go back to day one of primary flight training, relearn the aviation environment from the front seat, and earn my way through strike training in Kingsville. The biggest obstacle was shifting my mindset from exclusively managing weapons and sensors in the F/A‑18 to physically flying the aircraft while simultaneously acting as the battlespace manager for the advanced sensor fusion of the F‑35B.”

After two years with VMFAT‑502, Capt. Lanza completed F‑35B fleet replacement training and received orders to join the “Wake Island Avengers” of VMFA‑211 as the airframes officer in charge. VMFA-211 is part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), currently embarked on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8).

“This is my first major float,” said Lanza. “The experience is everything we train for, seamlessly integrating the blue-green team. Operating a fifth‑generation stealth fighter off the deck of an amphibious assault ship is the absolute pinnacle of Marine aviation power projection. It’s tight quarters, a high operational tempo, and exactly where I want to be.”

As Capt. Lanza prepares to deploy with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard Makin Island, he is focused on leading his Marines into one of the most demanding operational environments in the Fleet Marine Force. The upcoming deployment represents the culmination of years of training, transition, and tactical refinement, an opportunity to bring his experience in both the F/A‑18D and F‑35B to the forefront of forward‑deployed naval integration. For him, the mission ahead is clear: support the MEU, project power from the sea, and uphold the standard of excellence expected of Marine attack pilots and the “Wake Island Avengers.”