Mobilization in the Army National Guard (ARNG) – Citizen Soldiers, at the Ready!
Reserve / By COL Joseph W. Bishop: Our National Guard Aviation formations are ready and eager to support our nation’s operational missions. Recently, the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade (TAB) was tasked with the tactical employment of aeromedical evacuation, attack helicopter, security, air movement, air assault, and reconnaissance support to coalition forces throughout Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, and Turkey. Patients being evacuated on-board a 449th Aviation Brigade Task Force MEDEVAC aircraft during a culminating training event (CTE). The CTE was an air assault utilizing all elements of the Brigade Task Force./ ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO The mission was to degrade and...
Learn MoreOne Army, One Team, One Mission!
By CW5 Clarence W. Shockley: The Army Senior Leadership from the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Army down has embraced and is inculcating the “One Army!” Today we are faced with the challenge of supporting counter insurgency operations (COIN) while improving our skillsets necessary to conduct large scale combat operations (LSCO) to meet the “Mission” as outlined in the National Defense Strategy. The concept of LSCO is not new for many of us who were in the Army prior to 9/11, but it may be for many in our Branch who have joined since then....
Learn MoreObstructive Sleep Apnea
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By CPT Nathan H. Kwan, M.D. & MAJ Titus J. Rund, O.D.: The topic for this issue is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, an all too common condition with potential for negative impact on flight safety. The quality of Soldiers’ sleep has a direct bearing on readiness, said Col. Vincent Mysliwiec. Shown here, paratroopers ride in a C-17 from Alaska to their jump site in Australia, a duration of 17 hours that left many trying to get some pre-jump rest on the aircraft. (Photo Credit: David Vergun) BackgroundObstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition where breathing is...
Learn MoreFighting Fires: Task Force Heavy Cav Soldiers Train to Combat Fires
By CPT Roxana M. Thompson: Petroleum supply specialists are trained to receive, store and ship petroleum in large quantities safely and securely to ensure that all military aircraft are properly fueled to accomplish operations. However, the work of these Soldiers can be dangerous given that petroleum is a highly flammable substance and handling it requires detailed procedures and training. If not properly trained, the mishandling of petroleum can lead to fires causing serious damage to aircraft in an aviation unit and result in severe injuries or can even cause the death of a Soldier, to include pilots, if not extinguished...
Learn MoreMeet Our New Army Aviation Center of Excellence First Lady
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: MG David J. Francis took command of USAACE and Fort Rucker on June 17, and shortly after while still unpacking boxes and settling into her new role, his wife Jodie graciously agreed to this interview and allow our readers to get to know her. – Judy MG David J. Francis and his wife Jodie are surrounded by all but three of their family members after MG Francis’s promotion ceremony and his assumption of command of U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker on June 17, 2019. It was a very special day...
Learn MoreEvolving Standards
DAMO-AV / By CW5 Michael L. Lewis Jr.: CW5 Jon Koziol and I conducted a handover of the Army Aviation standardization desk at DAMO-AV earlier this spring. As he departed for Ft. Rucker, he told me that the nine square feet of the standardization desk may be overshadowed by the other 6.6 million in the Pentagon, but those square feet never contain a dull moment. A paratrooper with 3-82 Avn. at Ft. Bragg, NC deploys a Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS). / U.S. ARMY PHOTO By the time an issue reaches the desk, all the easy questions have been answered. Hard...
Learn MoreThe Military Does Take Care of Us!
Family Forum / By Gabriela Lopez, With Edits by Judy Konitzer: My husband, Chris, and I met in 2001 while attending Oxnard college in California. He had transitioned from active duty to California National Guard. Author Gabriela Lopez with her spouse, CPT Laurencio C. Lopez, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, who received the 2018 Army Aviation Medicine Award sponsored by Gentex Corporation during the AAAA Functional Awards dinner on January 30, 2019 at Ft. Rucker, AL. / AAPI PHOTO BY RENÉ BIDEZ When he finished college, he announced he was returning to active duty and in...
Learn MoreCommon Challenges and Means to Mitigate Them
Simulation & Training / By LTC Eric Megerdoomian and numerous DES SME: The Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization (DES) is afforded a unique perspective of our branch. Through assistance and assessments of our aviation units, we are exposed to units who struggle with similar challenges and are witness to creative means to overcome them. RCMLeaders of Rated Crew Members (RCMs) allow improper procedures to manifest due to mission requirements. This creates a culture that accepts deviations from the standard dictated by our regulations. It is common to find organizations disregarding AR 95-1, TC 3-04.11 and their own unit Standard Operating...
Learn MorePlantar Fasciitis
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By CPT Frank Stafford, D.O: Q: The bottom of my feet, especially my heels, have really been hurting. The pain is the worst when I first get up in the morning. It can get so bad that it makes it difficult to walk or stand for a long time let alone go for a run. I read on the internet that this could be plantar fasciitis. What is that? FS: Plantar fasciitis is when the fascia, a thick, wide band of tissue that runs from the base of your toes to your heel, becomes inflamed...
Learn MoreSynthetic Aviation Maintenance Training Environment
Reserve / By COL Andrew D. Cecil: Army Aviation has the opportunity to advance Aviation maintenance training into the synthetic training environment. Aviation equipment and systems have advanced from the analog to the digital over the past two decades (UH-60A/L to UH-60M; CH-47D to CH-47F; AH-64A to AH-64D/E). The training for helicopter maintenance personnel has not changed commensurate to this change in complexity. We can and should now correct that deficiency. Aviation maintenance training in Army units is essentially an apprenticeship program requiring close supervision, limited learner autonomy and restricted initiative. These controls represent necessary restrictions on the apprentice due...
Learn More
