CW3 Hawkins receives Guatemala’s ‘Medal of the White Nun’
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 James D. Hawkins, an Aviation branch safety officer at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence headquarters, stands for a photo at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Dec. 8, 2021. Hawkins was recently awarded Guatemala’s Medalla Monja Blanca (Medal of the White Nun), the highest award Guatemala awards to foreign military, for his hurricane response efforts as a medevac pilot while serving with Company C, U.S. Army Air Ambulance Detachment, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force Bravo, at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, in the winter of 2020. Guatemala’s Medal of the White...
Learn MoreRising Thunder 21 Combined Hellfire Missile Shoot
An AH-64D helicopter assigned to 1st Battle Helicopter Unit, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, launches a Hellfire missile down range at Yakima Training Center, Wash., on Dec. 6, 2021. The unit is conducting a combined shoot with 1-229th Attack Battalion, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, and the combined American and Japanese observation post as part of Exercise Rising Thunder 21. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Kyle Abraham, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade)
Learn MoreGetting Back in the Saddle!
AAAA President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired: One AAAA national event down with two more to go before the end of the calendar year. By all measures the September 11-13, 2022 Aircraft Survivability Equipment Symposium in Lexington, KY was a great success. From the over 400 attendees and the outstanding awardees and families, to the terrific industry partner support in the exhibit hall, we were very fortunate indeed to have such a record-breaking event considering we had not held one since 2019! See page xx for more details and photos. All that said, I feel I owe the...
Learn MoreImplementing the Strategic Plan
AAAA President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired: Your AAAA Leadership Team has been quite busy since we left the 2022 Summit in Nashville. We assembled the AAAA National Executive Group up in Connecticut at the beginning of May. Our purpose was to review short term initiatives for the next year, and we started to implement the longer-term Strategic Plan for AAAA which was so ably drafted by COL (Ret.) Shelly Yarborough. All ten of your NEG (eight in person and two virtually) were introduced/re-introduced to the AAAA staff members. What a great team of dedicated professionals that passionately...
Learn More2022 Summit – The Best Ever!
AAAA President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired: I hope everyone has recovered from last month’s Summit in Nashville. If you could not make it, you missed our largest and what many are declaring our best AAAA Summit ever. It may have taken us three years to get there, but the 2022 AAAA Annual Summit by all metrics was a huge success. You could just feel the energy throughout the briefings, down on the floor and at the social events. Navigating the last six months leading up to the Summit were high adventure indeed as COVID cases rose and...
Learn More1st Air Cavalry Brigade Runs in German 5K Race
1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division Public AffairsStory by Capt. Taylor CriswellSunday, March 20, 2022#####By. Capt. Taylor Criswell BAD WINDSHEIM, Germany – U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, currently on rotation to Europe for Atlantic Resolve, took an opportunity last week to build community relations and internal comradery by entering the annual Bad Windsheim Wine Tower Run on March 20. Col. Reggie Harper, Command Sgt. Maj. Tyrone Murphy and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Scott Durrer ran in the race, as did other leaders from the brigade. 1st Lt. Will Derrick of Charlie Company, 2-227, an avid athlete...
Learn MoreWelcome to the Summit!!
President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired: Well, it is finally here, our first AAAA Annual Summit in three years. It has been some roller coaster ride through years of pandemic, shut-downs, masks, social distancing and all the rest. Let’s pray it is finally coming to a close. I want to first thank all our 18,000-plus members and especially our 79 chapters, for all you have done and endured during these most difficult times. You and your families have inspired all of us on the National Executive Board, and me personally as I have travelled to almost half our...
Learn MoreClarifying Misconceptions on COVID-19 Vaccines
Ask the Flight Surgeon – By MAJ Matthew R. Cooper, DO Let’s start with a brief synopsis of COVID-19. It is caused by a coronavirus, the same family of viruses that cause common colds. Coronaviruses cause upper respiratory infections spread by respiratory droplets (coughs, sneezes, residual mucous on hands, etc.). This is why mask wearing and hand washing are recommended to help prevent disease spread. While these prevention methods do work in reducing the spread of disease, they are not 100% effective. This is where the vaccines come into play. Currently there are three vaccines available to use against COVID-19....
Learn MoreState of the Branch
By MG David J. Francis I would like to start by thanking MG(R) Crosby, Bill Harris, Janis Arena, and the entire AAAA team for the extraordinary effort put into setting the conditions to allow this year’s Mission Solutions Summit to take place. It is long overdue that we bring the Army Aviation community and industry together to forge the future. CSM Wilson, CW5 Lewis and I are extremely proud of Army Aviation’s incredible performance over this difficult year. As the Army Aviation Community, you served our Nation exceptionally well and we thank you for your continued service as we build...
Learn MoreFrom the First Ladies of Army Aviation and AAAA
AAAA Family Forum / By Jodie Francis and Janice Crosby Over the years our Army Aviation First Ladies, Jodie Francis and Janice Crosby, have dedicated themselves to supporting our Aviation Soldiers and their Families in countless ways. I thank them for sharing their thoughts and I look forward to spending time with them and you this April in Nashville! – Judy Hello Aviation Families! It has certainly been too long since we have been able to get together face to face, and we are extremely excited to see all of you at the 2022 Aviation Mission Solutions Summit. AAAA has...
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