Passing the Gavel
President’s Cockpit / MG Jeff Schloesser, U.S. Army Retired: This is likely the best Army Aviation Magazine since I took over as AAAA President back in April of 2019. Outgoing AAAA president MG Jeff Schloesser, U.S. Army Retired welcomes incoming President MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired. We all hoped this would also be our AAAA 2021 Mission Summit magazine this year, but as you know by now, we had to cancel the Summit due to COVID-based travel restrictions. With vaccines becoming more and more available and the infection rate declining in many states, I am hopeful this will be...
Learn MoreAAAA Family Forum
By Judy Konitzer: We are so fortunate to have Jodie Francis and Patty Schloesser at the helm of our Aviation community, as they are sincere and genuine supporters of our Aviation Soldiers and their families. Like us, they are disappointed at not being able to gather in Nashville, but they have graciously shared their thoughts and prayers for us… Judy From the Desk of the Aviation Branch 1st Lady, Jodie Francis Greetings from Ft. Rucker! We are all certainly disappointed that the 2021 Summit will not happen this year but thank the AAAA staff for attempting everything humanly possible to...
Learn MoreFuture Vertical Lift Cross-Functional
Team Update / By MG Walter T. Rugen with LTC John Michael McClean: Since my update last year, the Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team (FVL CFT) remains on glideslope with the Aviation Enterprise, Joint Services, and industry partners to deliver transformational maneuver and tempo to our Army’s corps and divisions, and I am excited about the future. Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional The Arcturus JUMP 20 lands at Fort Benning, GA during the FTUAS Rodeo, March 2021. Moving ahead and building on our past, I look forward to the Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event (EDGE) 21 this May to test out new tactics,...
Learn MoreArmy Aviation Excels in Spite of Pandemic
Leadership Update / By BG Michael C. “Mac” McCurry: Wow! Two years certainly flies by (no pun intended), especially when pushing through contingency deployments, global re-posture, an election/confirmation cycle, and… a global pandemic! When I took the seat as Director of Army Aviation in the Pentagon in June of 2019, I could never have seen this coming. It has been a hard and challenging time for our nation and our Army, but our great aviation leaders, pilots, and maintainers out there persevered and kept Army Aviation at the forefront. I will highlight the unprecedented actions of the team below. Crew members...
Learn MoreLyme Disease
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By MAJ (Dr.) Sarah B. Snyder: Q: I enjoy recreational hiking and camping outdoors during the spring and summer months but recently heard about a tick-borne illness called Lyme disease. What is Lyme disease and what are the common signs and symptoms to watch out for after spending time outdoors? FS: Lyme disease is a bacterial infection of the blood, or bacteremia, transmitted to humans by the bite of a deer tick called Ixodes scapularis. It is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Lyme disease is caused by the mobile, corkscrewed bacteria Borrelia...
Learn MoreAircraft Survivability Equipment Qualification Criteria
Tech Talk / By Mr. Corbin Stillwell: The Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) developed by the U.S. Army Development Command Aviation& Missile Center (DEVCOM AvMC) is the guiding document for Airworthiness (AW) Qualification for Army aviation. A California Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Company B, 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, fires countermeasures while flying over Jalalabad, Afghanistan, May 20, 2016. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SSG IAN M. KUMMER, 40TH CBT. AVN. BDE. PUBLIC AFFAIRS Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE), though considered non-flight-critical, is covered in the AMACC. The AMACC defines the purpose of ASE...
Learn MoreDeployment Through the Eyes of National Guard Spouses
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: Soldiers from National Guard units have gained national attention as we watched their mobilization to D.C. in January, but what about those who are currently deployed? The 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Kuwait and outposts in Syria in September and won’t return until late spring in support of Operation Inherent Resolve designed to defeat DAESH (ISIS). I acquired a greater and genuine appreciation for the service of their spouses and how they are coping with this separation after interviewing a few of them. Members of Susan Girvin’s church family provided cookies for...
Learn MoreThe Membership Corner
Liaison officers (LNOs) have been stationed at Fort Rucker since 1956. One person who has served as the British LNO is Lieutenant Colonel Claire Curry. Claire and her husband, Colonel Ian Curry, currently live in Wiltshire, England, just over 5 miles from Stonehenge. Lt. Col. Claire and Col. Ian Curry / LTC CURRY PERSONAL PHOTO Claire left Exeter University in 1993, joined the Reserves and took a job working in London. Claire decided that she could work for a Blue-Chip company anytime, but not join the Army later in life, so in 1996 she joined Commissioning Course 962 at the...
Learn MoreLooking Forward, Looking Back
How the Army Addressed the 4th Quarter Class A Aviation Accident Spike / By COL Ronald Ells and LTC Randy James: Last year, we reported that FY19 had the fewest fatalities on record, and while we cannot boast the same for FY20, the Aviation Branch remained tenacious in its approach to Aviation safety. FY20 was the safest year in Army Aviation history in both the total number of Class A mishaps (6) and the Class A mishap rate per 100K flying hours (0.63), a 50% reduction in one year alone. FY16-20 is the safest five-year period in Army Aviation history...
Learn MoreAeromedical Considerations for Common Shoulder Injuries
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By MAJ (Dr.) Christopher Grace: Q: I am a CH-47 pilot that has been dealing with worsening right shoulder pain and I think it’s time to get it looked at. What do I need to know about seeking treatment for my shoulder pain? FS: The shoulder joint is comprised of two bones: the upper arm bone (humerus) that forms a round bony prominence that fits into the socket of the shoulder blade (scapula). Surrounding the joint are muscles, their tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the labrum that can all be sources of pain. DVIDS / Sgt....
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