Nutritional Supplements
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By LTC Steven J. Gaydos, MD, MPH: Q: Doc, why are you always asking about supplements when I get my physical—what’s the big deal? FS: Well, perhaps you have seen a recent news article this month whereby a major supplement chain was accused of selling ‘tainted’ products. It can be a big deal. There is a fair amount of truth to the tired cliché, “you are what you eat.” Our bodies require exogenous vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other essential nutrients that ultimately become the substrates for crucial cellular metabolic activity. Medical nutritional science has made...
Learn MoreTies That Bind: Camaraderie
128th Aviation Brigade / By SSG Andrew D. Hill: In 2004, I arrived at Fort Eustis, Virginia and was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 222nd Aviation Regiment, 8th Transportation Brigade. I attended training at the U.S. Army Aviation Logistics School (USAALS) and was trained as a 15Y10 (AH-64D Armament/ Electronics/ Avionics Repairer) MOS. While the Army has imparted numerous skills and life lessons to me, I was introduced to its greatest lesson in Advanced Individual Training – camaraderie. SSG Andrew D. Hill as he graduated from AIT in 2004, and working as an instructor today. / PHOTOS PROVIDED BY...
Learn MoreHo, Ho, Ho…
Reserve Component, Aviation / By COL J. Ray Davis: Greetings again from your Army National Guard (ARNG). It’s December. Cold temperatures, lousy flying weather, and holiday schedules all add up to not much flying. How better to keep your edge in this low OPTEMPO month than with simulation. North Carolina Guardsmen training on a Shadow Crew Trainer. / NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY MICHAELINE KOLBICKA The ARNG’s aviation simulation capacity is quite substantial – over 100 simulators total – use it to your best advantage. UH-60 – Since the Guard owns about 900 Black Hawks, we’ve got plenty of...
Learn MoreProject Warrior – Set Yourself Apart From Your Peers
Branch Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Eric C. Thom: Whenever I travel to our outstanding combat aviation brigades (CABs) I look forward to conducting a sensing session with our NCOs. Inevitably someone (sometimes it’s me) asks the question, “What can you do to get promoted?” SGT Swiegart, Co. B, 3rd Bn., 10th Avn. Regt., 10th Cbt. Avn. Bde. instructs Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 15 Field Artillery Regt., 2nd Bde. Cbt. Tm. on proper sling load procedures prior to their gun run. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO And I tell them they have to find a way to set themselves apart...
Learn MoreWarrant Officer Flight Training A Historical Perspective
Chief Warrant Officer / By CW5 Allen R. Godfrey: As of this December, the first LUH-72 Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) class is undergoing training. The model for IERW continually updates to take advantage of the resources, technology, and modernization of Army Aviation. Many years ago, flight school utilized a model know as Multi-track. WOC Thomas French and WOC Godfrey enjoying time away from TAC Officers. / PHOTO PROVIDED BY CW5 RANDY GODFREY This is an excerpt from a paper written on 18 Oct. 1989 based on the experiences gained during my stay at Fort Rucker. I graduated on 13...
Learn MoreInnovation in Technology and Process
Program Executive Officer, Aviation / By BG Robert L. Marion: The challenges for Army Aviation are extremely complex and approaching us quickly. They also present extraordinary opportunities for our Army and our industry partners. Aviation survivability continues to evolve to keep pace with current and emerging threats. / U.S. ARMY PEO AVIATION PHOTO Because we live in a time where everything moves at a lightning pace, our ability to innovate and react quickly is important now more than ever. If we take a serial approach to meet our critical needs, maturing technology within the Science and Technology (S&T) community, progressing...
Learn MoreRunning Full Throttle Into 2016
President’s Cockpit / By BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: Just before Thanksgiving, we experienced one of the busiest weeks in recent AAAA history. We hosted three separate symposia in one location over four days in Huntsville, Alabama. Military and industry networking during the 2015 AAAA Survivability and Support Week at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, November 16-19, 2015. / AAPI PHOTO BY ALICE BYRNE More than 740 Soldiers, industry, acquisition, training personnel and Special Operators gathered at the Von Braun Center to network for solutions to materiel and training challenges in the Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE) Symposium, Aircraft...
Learn MoreSynthetic Training Environment
From the Field / By MAJ Robert A. Crapanzano: “Chalk one is coming off comms,” CW4 Espinosa transmitted before turning off the simulator. In the copilot’s seat, Lieutenant Trimble disconnected his virtual reality goggles from his helmet and set it on the center console. e cockpit, that moments ago looked and felt like the inside of a UH-60V helicopter, now was a series of at black panels. Where his digital multi-function displays and center console switches used to be was now a piece of sheet metal dotted with micro position sensors. Instead of seeing the air.eld outside his window, he now saw the blank inside walls of the simulator room. Moments ago he was...
Learn MoreCarolina Thunder
News Spotlight / By SGT Leticia Samuels: The second annual Carolina Thunder exercise, a multi-component joint live fire event, exploded onto training sites across North Carolina July 31st through August 2nd. The exercise, consisting of nearly 850 Soldiers and Airmen, with a heavy emphasis on attack and assault aviation operations also including artillery, airborne and insertion events, provided units with opportunities for complex planning and execution of maneuver and lethal fires. An AH-64 Apache assigned to the 1-130th ARB NC ARNG departs for a fire mission during the second annual Carolina Thunder multi-state live fire training exercise hosted by the...
Learn MorePockets of Light
AAAA Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: I am always excited when our readers contact me and are willing to share their stories. The following is a recent submission from Lorie Hanna who said, Supporting her husband in uniform is a privilege, raising a patriotic thankful family is her joy, and serving our military families on the home front is her greatest honor. I hope you will enjoy Lorie’s article as much as I did. —Judy As the spouse of an Army aviator, I may be more prone to noticing the sky than the average wife. I pay attention to the...
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