James Heid of Lewes commissioned in U.S. Navy

James Paul Heid of Lewes was recently commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy after successfully completing the rigorous Navy Officer Candidate School at Naval Station Newport, R.I., in November 2024. As part of Class 03-25, Heid graduated as a designated student naval aviator. He is currently stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.

Also graduate of the University of Delaware, Heid holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications. He is an alumnus of Cape Henlopen High School, Class of 2019, and a proud member of Cape’s swim team and 2019 state championship-winning lacrosse team.

Ensign Heid’s path into military service follows a family history of both military and civilian aviation and service. His father, F. Wendel Heid of Lewes, is a captain for American Airlines; and his maternal grandfather, Army Lt. Col. James Herrington, served active duty in Germany in the 1960s and during Operation Desert Storm. Both of his paternal great grandfathers served in WWII. Francis Heid was an Army Air Corps pilot who flew B29s, and two-star Rear Admiral Richard Lane was the gunnery officer on the Battleship U.S.S. Mississippi. His great, great grandfather, Brig. Gen. Rufus Lane, was adjutant inspector general of the Marine Corps and an 1891 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who played in the first Army-Navy football game.

Navy Officer Candidate School at Officer Training Command Newport is one of four officer training schools designed to prepare future naval leaders. The rigorous 13-week program equips candidates with the skills and knowledge necessary for leadership at sea and ashore, aligning with the Navy's mission to promote national security and sustain combat readiness. In accordance with the Chief of Naval Operations’s Navigation Plan, OCS emphasizes training that builds warfighters prepared to meet the complex and evolving security environment. Candidates are tested morally, mentally and physically to ensure they can lead sailors and conduct naval operations globally, integrating into the Navy’s broader ecosystem. The course challenges candidates to embody the Navy's strategic objectives - securing sea control, readiness, and all-domain integration - essential for safeguarding U.S. interests and ensuring maritime superiority.