Month of the Military Child
AAAA Family Forum / Judy Konitzer: The Department of Defense has designated April as the Month of the Military Child, commonly referred to as Military Brats. Recently there has been much discussion about the term “Military Brats” and the controversy surrounding a change in terminology when two civilian children’s authors wrote a book entitled —“The Little C.H.A.M.P.S. – Child Heroes Attached to Military Personnel.” Love of country, respect and pride fill my being when Old Glory passes in review. When I stand to honor that flag, so also do I stand in honor of all Soldiers, and most especially, to the...
Learn MoreModernizing to Enable Our Future Fleet
Aviation Leadership Update / BG Robert L. Marion: After more than 13 years of war, we all thought and hoped that we would wind down in peace time. The reality however is that the world has changed and we are required to remain globally engaged while operating with a smaller budget and force structure. UH-60M Black Hawks from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, fly at Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii. The Army is currently working on program development for the UH-60V (formerly known as UH-60L Digitization), which will upgrade the analog cockpits of the UH-60L with new digital...
Learn MoreInfluenza Vaccine
Ask the Flight Surgeon / Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar: Q: I got the flu vaccine yesterday. Do I have to get a down slip for the immunization? FS: You don’t need to get a down-slip and subsequent up-slip unless you develop a local or systemic reaction; then you would need clearance by the flight surgeon. Remember from the safety briefings on exogenous factors that the grounding period after a vaccine is twelve hours, or until any adverse effects have resolved. The most common influenza vaccine in use this year is a quadrivalent formulation that protects against two type A (generally a...
Learn MoreKeeping Up Standards
AMRDEC Tech Talk / Mr. David Cripps: Most of you will be familiar with the concept of “building code” when it comes to putting up a house, an office building, a bridge or some other structure. Years ago smart engineers and planners figured out, mostly through trial and error, that there are a minimum set of standards necessary to make a structure do what it is supposed to do for the intended life. Then they tacked a healthy safety margin onto the minimums in order to account for variations in the exposure of the structure to its environment. AMRDEC AED GRAPHICInsurance...
Learn MoreOn Final
President’s Cockpit / BG Howard W. Yellen, Ret.: As this is my last Cockpit article, it’s hard to believe I am approaching the end of my two year tenure as your President; the time has quickly passed, but as the adage goes, all good things must come to an end. I look back over the last two years and can’t help but reflect on the many accomplishments our Association has achieved; all through the dedicated efforts of our volunteers at both the National and Chapter level. BG (Ret.) Howard W. Yellen addresses the National Executive Board during the 2014 Army Aviation Mission...
Learn MoreAtrial Fibrillation
Ask the Flight Surgeon / Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puska: Q: I was recently diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation and prescribed Coumadin (warfarin) and a calcium channel blocker (Diltiazem) for heart rate control. I saw a cardiologist who took me off the medications, and used radio-frequency ablation to eliminate the fibrillation, but I still have a high heart rate (118 to 126), don’t have my normal energy level, and I’m running much slower than usual. What’s the next step? FS: As in any medical condition, the first and most important thing is to take care of you by treating the condition, and worry...
Learn MoreWhat Happens to Those We Ask to Leave?
Branch Command Sergeant Major / CSM Eric C. Thom: “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” – General George Washington, November 10th, 1781 Soldiers case the unit colors for the 4th Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment during a formation gathered at Watkins Field on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The 4-6 ARS inactivated the Kiowa squadron, Aug. 14, 2014 .U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SSG MARK MIRANDADid you know that just one-half...
Learn MoreArmy Aviation – Engaged around the World What will it look like in the future?
President’s Cockpit / BG Howard W. Yellen, Ret.: Thirteen years of high-intensity ground combat came to a close in December 2014. But many troops across the Army are still grinding like it’s 2009, with individuals seeing very little, if any, decline in the overall operational tempo. President Obama addressing the United States Congress, Washington D.C.That is especially true in Army Aviation where almost no mission is conceived, planned, and launched without complementary aviation assets. The Ebola mission in West Africa is the latest example. In this month’s issue General (Ret.) Dick Cody and members of his AAAA Strategic Planning Committee provide...
Learn MoreAdjusting to Coming Home
AAAA Family Forum / Judy Konitzer: I may be “preaching to the choir” as I expound on some expectations that military families have when coming together again after a long deployment, however research and accompanying data have made observations and suggestions that have proved timely and valuable. A Soldier from Company E, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, is reunited with his family in time for the holidays at a ceremony at Cottrell Field on Fort Stewart, GA, Dec. 19.A few months ago I also requested some help from the field to share the highs and lows of enduring repeated deployments, but garnered...
Learn MoreGetting Smarter With Help from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
AAAA Family Forum / Judy Konitzer: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs, Holly Petraeus, joined Marietta Jelks, the General Services Administrator’s editor in chief of the Consumer Action Handbook, for a live Google Hangout on December 9, 2014 where they answered consumer questions and discussed ways servicemembers and veterans could find help tracking debt, scams, and fraud. I watched the program and it reinforced my belief that scams are alive and well. With the holidays behind us, consumers may find themselves facing increased debt, credit report errors, debt collector issues, and a whole host of other...
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