Reserve Unit at the Forefront of Readiness
By CPT Carlo Aragoncillo: Recently back from a deployment to the Southwest Asia Area of Operations in support of Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve, the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment (8-229th AHB) based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky, is keeping readiness at the forefront. Aircrews from the 8-229th AHB stationed at Fort Knox, KY perform Fast Rope Insertion (FRIES) with Naval Special Warfare operators at a military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) site on Ft. Knox. / U.S. ARMY RESERVE PHOTO BY CW3 STEPHEN LACOMBE Within months of coming back home in early 2020, Aviation flight crews and assets...
Learn MoreWhat is a Digital Twin?
AMCOM Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Mike Dove: In the fall of 2019, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) in conjunction with the Program Executive Office Aviation, the Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team and the Systems Readiness Directorate of the Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center teamed together to commission a study on the operational availability and materiel availability for future vertical lift systems with Wichita State University (WSU). National Institute for Aviation Research personnel use high fidelity scanners during the reverse engineering of the UH-60L./ NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AVIATION RESEARCH, WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY A...
Learn MoreSurvivability: A Combined Arms Discussion
Branch Chief’s Corner / By MG David J. Francis: Current and emerging threat capabilities provide our adversaries stand off from U.S. and coalition forces, which sets the basis for U.S. Army and Joint Force discussions on Multi-Domain Operations. 12th Combat Aviation Brigade staff members brief battle plans during a combined arms rehearsal for Saber Junction 20, Aug. 5, at Hohenfels, Germany./ U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MAJ ROBERT FELLINGHAM Our consensus on how we will fight across all domains, drives the U.S. Army modernization strategy to give us the ability to penetrate, dis-integrate the Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) and Integrated...
Learn MoreSustainment and Ensuring Army Survivability
President’s Cockpit / By MG Jeff Schloesser, U.S. Army Retired: As a young combat engineer and later as an Army Aviator, I dwelled in a world focused on tactics, maneuver, and taking the fight to the enemy. Maintenance and sustainment were important to me, but it was often somebody else’s problem. Dr. F. Harold “Hal” Kushner VP Member & Family Wellness / AAPI FILE PHOTO What a rude awakening I got as a new battalion commander. Sustainment was MY responsibility, and I had lots to learn! Later as a brigade and division commander at war, I found myself often consumed...
Learn MoreAH-64D Mobile Training Team (MTT) – Army Aviation Enterprise Success!
Reserve Component / By BG J. Ray Davis: In early 2019 the Army National Guard (ARNG) and the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) agreed on the need for a stop gap measure, which would increase Army AH-64D aircraft qualification throughput. 2LT Hart and WO1 Searcy, 1-211 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, Utah Army National Guard wait for their first live-fire gunnery at Lakeside Range, Utah. 2LT Hart is a graduate of the ARNG AH-64D MTT. / U.S. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY CW2 FRED BITTNER, UTAH ARNG The result was the ARNG stepping forward and establishing an MTT. The...
Learn MoreArmy Aviators Demonstrate Inherent Flexibility During COVID
Director of Army Aviation / By BG Michael C. (Mac) McCurry:The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge around the world, and for all Americans. The military and its Servicemembers have borne a proportionate share of that burden while demonstrating a firm resolve to prevail. As the coronavirus spread across the country, one of the Army’s primary tasks became protecting the force so we could protect the Nation. Staying home when possible and practicing social distancing became our best line of defense against further spreading the disease, and our surest way to keep ourselves and loved ones healthy. For many Servicemembers,...
Learn MoreSince The Last Blue Book
Branch Chief’s Corner / By MG David J. Francis: I will start this article by expressing my appreciation and awe at how well the Aviation branch has continued to train and modernize the force through the current COVID crisis. Our leaders are not shying away from this fight! Some Of What We Have Done Over the past twelve months, our branch produced some phenomenal results for our Soldiers, our training capability, and Aviation modernization. People first – we retained 600 great Soldiers across the force. The retention of these professionals significantly enhances our ability to provide support to our fellow...
Learn MoreAround the Enterprise
President’s Cockpit / MG Jeff Schloesser, U.S. Army Retired: Welcome to our annual Army Aviation Blue Book! It provides the “who is who” of the bread and butter units, organizations, and teams that make Army Aviation the pride of our Army and a much sought after capability on the battlefield or in deterring potential strategic competitors. Co. B “Big Windy,” and Co E, 1-214th General Support Aviation Battalion practice field refueling on Jan. 23, 2020 in the Republic of Cyprus./ U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MAJ ROBERT FELLINGHAM This issue also includes the announcement of the 312 Army Aviation Soldiers and...
Learn MorePCS Moves During A Pandemic
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: It’s a new world order because of COVID-19, and it is causing a major change for military families making PCS moves. The following information was derived from multiple sources, to include an article by Karen Jowers in Military Times: Pay & Benefits June 17, 2020 “As military moves restart, it’s still a PCS season.” Peak season in years gone by normally began May 15 thru the end of August, but this year there was an 82% decrease when military orders got backlogged, moves subsequently got backlogged, moving companies in some areas experienced labor shortages,...
Learn MoreRestore the Traditions of Army Aviation
By LTC M. Lee Chase: The United States Army Primary Helicopter School at Fort Wolters, Texas, instituted colored class hats in 1957. Restoring this tradition to Army Aviation would directly improve morale and camaraderie, with promise to enhance recruitment and retention as we negotiate continuous deployments, variable priorities in the Army Budget, and COVID-19. Is Army Aviation exceptional? Yes. My personal book collection includes “DUSTOFF,” the autobiography of retired CW4 Michael J. Novosel, who earned the Medal of Honor for his heroism flying UH-1 Huey MEDEVAC missions during the Vietnam War; “A Hundred Feet Over Hell,” which illustrates the valor...
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