PCS 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...
Learn MoreTrain to Maintain: Implementing TC 3-04.71
By MAJ Brandon A. Shah, CPT Justin Hall and 1LT(P) Nicholas Ortiz: In the past year, the Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization (DES) and the Directorate of Training and Doctrine expressed concern over the pace of TC 3-04.71 (.71) Aviation Maintenance Training Program (AMTP) implementation in Army Aviation. These agencies sought feedback from the force as USAACE amends its approach to maintainer developmental doctrine. The enterprise is learning that .71 AMTP implementation is no easy task for reasons that include “it’s too difficult,” “it needs to be a top-down program,” or “there is not wide-spread standardization and support.” Company Implementation...
Learn MoreHypertension
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By Lauren Gould and MAJ Joseph Pavelites: Question: I have been checking my blood pressure at home and it is starting to creep up. How does high blood pressure affect my flight career and what should I do about it? FS: Causes & Background Many people think that combat is the most life threatening event for Soldiers, when actually more Soldiers may die off the battlefield fighting a common enemy./ PATRICIA DEAL, ARMY.MIL Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded using two numbers, as in “120 over 80”...
Learn MoreSenior Warrant Officer Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army
By CW5 Yolondria S. Dixon-Carter: It is an honor to serve as the Senior Warrant Officer Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army. I am humbled and excited to experience new initiatives, training, education, and growth alongside the greatest Warrant Officers of our Nation, and I am extremely proud of the work of our Army Aviation Warrant Officers. CW5 Dixon-Carter joining the fight against the COVID-19 virus at the Pentagon, April 17, 2020./ SWOA2CSA FACEBOOK PHOTO You proved you are more than highly specialized technical experts. You are combat leaders, trainers and advisors across all three components: Active,...
Learn MoreCOVID-19 Reflections & Resources
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: While the COVID virus is pandemic and no one is immune, our members have adjusted and realigned their priorities, and I thank them for sharing with us. GRAPHIC BY THE AUTHOR’S GRANDDAUGHTER, MEGHAN HUTTO Robbie and COL Shane Kimbrough, NASA, Houston, Texas: Our feelings about this unprecedented time are mixed. We wake up every day thankful for our family’s health. We are glad because our parents are all doing well. In daily life, we have gone from being “empty nesters” to having a full house of 3 “twenty somethings”. We are up for the...
Learn MoreWomen’s Health
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By MAJ (Dr.) Laura S. Ball: Q: For female aviators, what are the flight approved contraceptive methods and are there any women’s health requirements for flight physicals? Photo: Army.mil FS: In the US, approximately 45% of pregnancies are unintended. Within the military, the number of unplanned pregnancies is even higher. Having a reliable form of contraception is an important consideration for women in the military since there are some regulatory limitations that go along with pregnancy. For example, women who are pregnant cannot deploy and serve in a combat zone. When it comes to Aviation,...
Learn MoreNCO Leadership
128th Aviation Brigade / By 1SG Zachary J. Ogilby: You started here, your Soldiers started here, and for the foreseeable future, every next-generation rotary wing maintenance Soldier will start here, in the 128th Aviation Brigade. NCOs from 128th AVN BDE administer the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) to AIT Soldiers./ 128TH AVN. BDE. COURTESY PHOTO This is not the Army Aviation Logistics School of yesterday and our organization has recently expanded its priorities. We’ve merged our fundamental mission of providing the world’s best-trained maintainers to the force with the development of our cadre into proven leaders. The brigade’s entire...
Learn MoreThe New Normal
This Is Your Army! / By GEN Paul E. Funk II: The coronavirus presents new challenges to the manner in which TRADOC generates combat power for the Army, and nowhere has this been felt more than at the Centers of Excellence. The responsibility borne by the Aviation Center cannot be understated – as they are the sole provider of fixed and rotary wing aviators for the United States Army. The nature of their business mandates training in close proximity, which posed – and continues to pose – a difficult challenge to both trainees and instructor pilots. The confined nature of...
Learn MoreStandardization in the Aviation Community
Reserve / By SGT Alex Morgan: Within the Aviation community, standardization and safety play a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness and safety of training and operations. SGT Joshua Maldonado, the standardization instructor in Company C, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, stresses the importance of standards and safety. “It’s one thing if a unit does things a certain way and it works for them, but what happens if a Soldier transfers to a different unit that does things differently? They might not have enough time to relearn that standard before it is time to execute...
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