Last 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 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 MoreHidden Risks During Shipboard Operations
AMRDEC Tech Talk / By Mr. Les Wiggins and Mr. Frank Collins: One of the more memorable days in an Army Aviator’s career can include joint operations with a U.S. Navy vessel. However, hidden in the scenic beauty of that nautical scene can lie dangers and risks that have the potential of ruining your trip. An Army AH-64 Apache helicopter takes off from the flight deck of the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), Jan. 5, 2016./ U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMM SPEC. 2ND CL. JUSTIN YARBOROUGH It is important to note that while the Airworthiness Release...
Learn MoreModernized 151A Aviation Maintenance Technician Course Graduates First Classes
128th Aviation Brigade / By CW3 Thomas Parker: March 23, 2016 marked a pivotal date in the history of the 151A Aviation Maintenance Technician training. The 12 members of the first modernized 151A Warrant Officer Basic Course graduates pause for the Kodak moment March 23, 2016 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA. First row (l to r): WO1 Joseph F. Keyes, WO1 Derek A. Wilkinson, WO1 Nicholas L. Self, and WO1 Thomas E. Robbins; 2nd Row: WO1 Chad H. Patterson, WO1 Derrick Costine, WO1 Stephen C. Daniels, and WO1 Timothy W. Livingston; Back Row: WO1 Loren M. Ruslander, WO1 Jason R....
Learn MoreProceeding to REDCON1
Reserve Components Aviation / By COL J. Ray Davis: Greetings again from your Army National Guard (ARNG). This month I’d like to highlight/review the results of the recent AAAA Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit, from an ARNG perspective. Aside from the dinners, concert, hospitality suites, and trinket-collecting, we actually used this forum to get things done. One of the highlights for the Guard was the second iteration of its Readiness & Resources Review (R3). At this forum, we brought brigade commanders of units early in their sustainable readiness model (SRM) cycle together (in this case, the 28th and 34th CABs),...
Learn MoreNo Fail Support to the Soldier on the Ground
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 MoreThe Voices of Awardee Spouses
AAAA Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: Most enjoyable for me at the 2016 AAAA Summit was having the opportunity to meet our awardees and many of their families. Several spouses acceptied my invitation to share their acceptance remarks or thoughts with us. Travis StewartWife of Colonel Harvey E. Stewart (Deceased), Army Aviation Hall of Fame inductee “My family and I thank you for this wonderful occasion of honoring our loved one. Not only have you brought to mind some wonderful memories, but we are now experiencing what will become wonderful memories for the future. Harvey would be very humbled...
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...
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