Current Issue Articles
Filling the Gaps for Army Spouse Unemployment
AAAA Family Forum / By Denise Lewis and Judy Konitzer Our Army is the largest branch in our Armed Forces, and traditionally has the most spouses who are affected by unemployment. Many of the barriers to spouse unemployment are frequent moves, remote duty stations, deployments, Soldier availability due to scheduling, childcare, and COVID uncertainty. Among military spouses, a staggering unemployment statistic discloses unemployment (24%) and underemployment (31-51%), with these rates at a hold for years despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the US Department of Defense to address the issue and a complex network of nonprofit support. As...
Learn MoreCentral Sleep Apnea and Flying
by MAJ Devon Greer, MD Q: I was recently diagnosed with Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) and have my upcoming medical examination. I’ve heard of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and its impact on flight status, but what is Central Sleep Apnea? Will it affect my flight status? How is it treated? Does flying affect it? FS: Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) has many of the same symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) but is significantly different. CSA occurs when the brain fails to tell the diaphragm and ribs to breathe, and that causes shortness of breath while sleeping. This tends to break up...
Learn MoreWhy We Win
Branch Chief’s Corner / By MG David J. Francis: The key component to the success of our military is the American Soldier. While modernization is an absolute imperative for our Army, it is the Soldier who is trained and ready to receive, use, and win with that new equipment that is essential. In the Aviation branch, our Soldiers fix, fly, and employ some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world in support of the Ground Force Commander as a component of Combined Arms Maneuver. How we train, develop, and prepare our Soldiers, NCOs, Warrant Officers, and Officers is critical to provide...
Learn MoreOur Chapters – the Soul of AAAA
President’s Cockpit / MG Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Retired: Can you believe we are two months into 2022 already? The AAAA Annual Summit is just weeks away now and everyone is leaning forward as we get into the execution phase. I hope you are making plans to join us in Nashville. While the staff is laser focused on preparing for the Summit, I am still on my mission to visit all 79 chapters. Just after the new year, I hit five in one week: Iron Mike, Jimmy Doolittle, Savannah, Greater Atlanta, and Follow Me! My next swing will be through...
Learn MoreImportance of Sustainment Modernization at the Operator Level
Aviation Branch Maintenance Officer Update – By CW5 Patrick O’Neill As units return from a reduced operational period over the holidays, maintaining aircraft readiness can be challenging. With reduced manpower, typical winter weather, and the current COVID-19 supply-chain disruptions, having a maintenance strategy to bridge these sustainment gaps and meet the eventual surge of flying hours is critical. What is also critical, but a little more opaque, is a strategic view on maintaining current and future fleet aircraft in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) in a Multi-Domain fight. As we modernize our enduring aviation fleet and prepare for Future Vertical...
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