AIT Instructors Teach More Than Just MOS Skills
128th Aviation Brigade / By SFC Douglas J. Patterson: The American Soldier comes from all walks of life, from every different region, culture, religion, that makes up our great nation and some even come from other countries. The author teaching Ohms Law to students during the Basic Electronics Training block of the 15Y AIT course. / 128th AVN BDE PHOTO BY SSG RANDY BARTZ Soldiers hold a special bond with each other, especially in their initial entry training when civilians are learning to become Soldiers. I am sure most all of us can remember that one drill sergeant or AIT...
Learn MoreLast Reserve Flight of the AH-64D Apache
Reserve Components Aviation / By CW5 John W. Bailey: Early on a Sunday morning in March, Soldiers, both current and former, along with family and community members met at the Lone Star Executive Airport in Conroe, Texas. Soldiers from 1-158th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) stand in formation as five AH-64 Apache helicopters conduct a ceremonial “fly-over,” in Conroe, Texas, to commemorate the final flight of the Apache helicopter in Army Reserve, Mar. 6, 2016. / U.S. ARMY RESERVE PHOTO BY CPT MATTHEW ROMAN, 11TH TAC PAO The reason for this gathering was to be, in some way, a part of...
Learn MoreNCO Role in Mission Command
ARSOAC Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Stephen H. Helton: Future conflict is characterized in current Army doctrine as unknown and unknowable. It is the ambiguous, complex nature of current and future warfare that mandates agile, adaptive, and capable leaders who can exercise disciplined initiative in a fluid situation. Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey talks to 3/160th SOAR(A) Soldiers after an exercise at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia./ ARSOAC COURTESY PHOTO The empowered ARSOA NCO is the critical link to mission command under these conditions. Physical fitness, technical expertise, tactical acumen, creative problem solving, exceptional teamwork, and...
Learn MoreARSOAC and the Army Aviation Enterprise
ARSOAC Commander Update / By BG Erik C. Peterson: Thank-you once again to AAAA and our Aviation Branch leadership for the opportunity to share some thoughts and perspectives from the Army Special Operations Aviation team. An MH-47G conducts helocast operations for Special Forces Soldiers. / U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION COMMAND PHOTO I’ll begin by enthusiastically welcoming our relatively new Aviation Branch leadership – MG Bill Gayler, CW5 Joe Roland, and CSM Greg Chambers – and reaffirming the Army Special Operations Aviation Command’s (ARSOAC) commitment as an active partner in the Army Aviation enterprise – contributing to readiness, providing vital...
Learn MoreChapter Leadership
President’s Cockpit / By BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: Our 73 local chapters are the centerpiece of AAAA. The National Executive Group works hard to maintain a close relationship and support the local chapters. AAAA Executive Director Bill Harris (standing with mic) answers a question at the Chapter Officer Workshop, Thursday, April 28, 2016, during the AAAA Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Atlanta, GA. / AAPI PHOTO BY RENÉ BIDEZ From the Mount Rainier Chapter to Rio Grande Chapter, to the Air Assault Chapter and their very successful House of Heroes effort, your National Executive Group has been very busy...
Learn MoreManaging Enlisted Experience
Branch Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Gregory M. Chambers: Managing our enlisted experience in today’s Army is imperative to our future combat success. The culture in our units has to foster an environment in which Soldiers want to learn, to progress and to become professional Soldiers. Members of the 1st Air Cav remove an aft rotor blade from a CH-47 Chinook during maintenance at Ft. Hood, TX April 5, 2016./U.S. ARMY PHOTO Documenting this experience is essential as Soldiers move around in our branch. Mid-grade leaders should have the ability to quickly assess experience on newly assigned Soldiers in...
Learn MoreGoodbye to an Old Friend
Spotlight / By SSG Christopher Freeman, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Office: The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior has been a mainstay in the skies over the North Carolina and the Fayetteville community for over 25 years. The 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, made their final formation flight from Fort Bragg, N.C. April 15. The flight saw 32 helicopters flying in a formation from Fort Bragg to downtown Fayetteville and back to Simmons Army Airfield. The final Kiowa Warrior flight honored past and present service members that have had the privilege of operating and...
Learn MoreWhen New Technology Outpaces Current Systems
AH-64E Manned-Unmanned Teaming / By CW4 Brett S. Chivers: Technological advancements in combat systems, especially in Army aviation, have seen marked improvements over the past 14 years of war. One of the most notable of these advancements is the development and integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by all four branches of the military. Army Aviation is committed to not only integrating UAS into the fight, but also into its newly configured combat aviation brigades (CAB). The Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI), which is currently ongoing, has removed the OH-58 Cavalry squadron from the CAB and replaced it with a second AH-64...
Learn MoreAmplifying Talent
By MAJ Aaron C. Schilleci: Integration of Active and National Guard Components in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve A 15U crewmember preflights a Task Force Heavy CAV CH-47 Chinook prior to a battlefield circulation mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve./ALL PHOTOS – U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SPC ALTON PELAYO, 3-6 CAV “The Active Duty guys…” “The Guard guys…” As aviation professionals, we have all heard or seen these colloquialisms to describe our service component brethren. Some may feel a sense of pride, allegiance or stigma associated with these equally essential elements of our Army Aviation community and Army team...
Learn MoreTraining Deliberate Attack Operations in Decisive Action
Joint Readiness Training Center / By LTC Bryan Chivers and MAJ Adam Camarano: The Attack has long been the defining offensive task for Army Aviation. Today we find ourselves in an interesting transition period where current conflict calls for maintaining proficiency in the current era of team tactics while the Army focuses on training for the decisive action fight, a more deliberate employment of AH-64s at the platoon and higher level. Maintaining proficiency in two distinctly different mission sets is an incredible challenge, and commanders must strike a delicate balance between training for the current fight and being prepared to...
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