A Historic New Chapter at Fort Rucker
News Spotlight / By CPT Matt E. Hayden and CPT Ronald W. Braasch III: Fort Rucker made history on January 8th, 2016. As flight school class 16-005 woke up and drove to their designated parking spot in the darkness, waiting for their bus to pick them up and take them to Cairns Army Airfield (AAF), it was like every other morning for primary students for the past 20 years. Once the students went to their classroom, completed morning questions, and confirmed performance planning and weather, they grabbed their flight gear and signed for the aircraft keys. The difference is these...
Learn MoreDAMO-AV – Back from the Brink
Aviation Leadership / By COL John J. Lindsay and MAJ Stephen T. Schmidt: Due to a series of efficiency initiatives and budget-driven headquarters reductions, Department of the Army G-3/5/7 Aviation (DAMO-AV) began FY15 with its back against the wall. As of 1 October 2015, the TDA had been cut to zero and the directorate was kept afloat through a G1-signed memorandum authorizing 16 directed military over-strength positions. From the outside, the Directorate of Army Aviation appeared to be “business as usual” but the future was far from certain. The Pentagon / U.S. ARMY PHOTO; Below: General Hamilton H. Howze, the...
Learn MoreEquipping as a Pillar of Readiness
PEO Aviation / By BG Robert L. Marion: Without question, Aviation is recognized as a critical enabler and maneuver capability when executing effective combined arms operations across the full spectrum of operations. In a similar vein, Equipping is recognized as one of the Army’s four pillars of readiness, and a critical enabler of the Army’s number one priority. Where some might see modernization and readiness as competitors in a resource constrained environment, it is more important to understand how modernization and readiness go hand-in-hand. Our ongoing modernization efforts guarantee that our Soldiers are best equipped and ready to defeat hybrid...
Learn MoreCanadian Chinooks Provide Heavy Lift Support
By CPT Renner H. Hall: During the fall of 2015, two CH-147s and 40 airmen from the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) 450th Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) partnered with 3rd Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade’s (CAB) general support aviation battalion (GSAB) for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division’s Joint Operation Access Exercise (JOAX) 16-01 at Fort Bragg, NC. The operation was unique as 3-82 GSAB’s organic Chinook company – save one lieutenant, two instructor pilots and a couple of maintainers – were deployed to the Joint Readiness Training Center. Essentially, America’s Guard of Honor...
Learn MoreMilitary Spouses: Connecting Without a WiFi Connection
AAAA Family Forum / By Paula Lundy: When we reflect on what life was like for past military spouses, our concerns now really aren’t much different than the concerns of spouses from many years ago. We all want to feel supported and connected to our military community – that is how we truly create the sense of being “home,” despite being far away from where we’re from. The author, Paula Lundy (left), wife of MG Michael D. Lundy, heads the receiving line at a farewell event March 1, 2016 for (l to r) Samantha Thom and Deborah Godfrey, spouses of...
Learn MoreSoldiers Learning to Become Leaders
128th Aviation Brigade / By Mr. Mark S. Jones: Army Aviation is unique in that the majority of enlisted Soldiers in the branch begin as technicians and evolve into senior leaders of operational units. So where does structured leader training begin? Company A, 1st Battalion, 222nd Aviation Regiment student leadership taking accountability before beginning training./ U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CPT ANDREW J. BLIK, CDR, A/1-210 AVN. NCOs would tell you that this is what they do all of the time, every day and most would agree. But where is the foundation laid where a young man or woman who joins...
Learn MoreRacing Against Technology
Tech Talk / By Mr. David B. Cripps: We in Army Aviation are engaged in a consumer electronics technology footrace, and we’re falling further behind. The pace that new products with creative functions & capabilities come to the market by far exceeds the pace that “the system” can formally assess and authorize their use. And sometimes these new electronic devices may have functionality that might be attractive to bring aboard aircraft to add to or enhance mission capability. Examples include tablet computers with clever applications, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, compact digital video cameras, Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B)...
Learn MoreAllergic Rhinitis
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By MAJ Jason MacDonnell, M.D.: Q: Doc, I am experiencing symptoms of runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, stuffiness and fatigue. How should I treat my symptoms and do I need a waiver? FS: The symptoms you describe are consistent with allergic rhinitis (also called seasonal allergies or hay fever). Allergic rhinitis is a significant medical issue that affects nearly 1 in every 6 Americans generating almost $5 billion dollars in direct healthcare costs and over 2 million lost work days annually. This condition also poses a risk to the aviation community. The reduced sense of...
Learn More11th TAC Welcomes Home Soldiers in Support of NATO’s Kosovo Mission
Reserve Components / By BG Scott R. Morcomb: Over the past several years of U.S. Army involvement in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, one peace-support operation in Europe still holds great significance for the U.S. Army. BG Scott Morcomb, commanding general of the 11th Theater Aviation Command (TAC), greets his soldiers returning from an 11-month deployment to Kosovo in support of NATO’s KFOR mission, Mar. 7, 2016. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CPT MATTHEW ROMAN, 11TH TAC PAO That mission is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission. NATO has been leading a peace-support operation in...
Learn MoreReady for the Future
Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch / By CW5 Allen R. Godfrey: The American People have entrusted the Army with the moral and ethical application of force. The nation expects and more importantly demands we WIN. I do not like a fair fight. We must always have the advantage. Our enemies will continue to be unpredictable and changing. The global demand for Army Aviation will only increase due to the ever-changing complex world. We must be agile and adaptive because our enemies will be. CW3 Donnie Goeppinger (center), a pilot with Company B, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 40th Combat...
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