Things are moving quickly in Army Aviation and your AAAA team is doing everything we can to support the Branch and the Army in the Chief of Staff Army’s new guidance on “Continuous Transformation.” From our event themes to the magazine editorial focus, membership outreach, and the Army Aviation Congressional Caucus, AAAA is strongly endorsing and supporting this vision.
You will notice in the just released agenda for the annual Cribbins Futures Forum, November 17-20, 2025 in Huntsville, AL, that the focus is totally on the Concept Driven Transformation phase of Continuous Transformation. We will work on specific subjects like Air Space Management, Drones/Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Accelerated Acquisition, Sustainment on the Contested Battlefield, Launched Effects and Mission Planning. Our intent is to spur intellectual debate on each topic so that we better understand future challenges and the best way for our branch to meet those challenges.
The actual shape of the event has changed as well to best capture feedback and input from Soldiers and Industry. Specifically, members of the Army Aviation General Officer Steering Committee (GOSC) will present a problem set in their specific mission area during their morning general session presentations.
Then, during the afternoon session, in the embedded exhibit hall theater, we will have sequential “Open Mic” sessions for one hour each addressing each problem set managed by a senior “facilitator” to elicit thoughts from the audience.
Following those discussions, each facilitator will summarize the comments, best practices and suggestions from Industry and Soldiers, and on the last day of the event, will back-brief the Army Aviation GOSC in an open session, in the same exhibit hall theater, on the potential solutions to their problem sets that were presented during their introductory briefings.
The objective is to present solutions from a broad spectrum of the Aviation Enterprise; the actual folks working on the flightlines, workshop floor, contracting officers, as well as Industry and others seeking to contribute to the Concept Driven Transformation phase of Continuous Transformation. This will posture Army Aviation to not only meet the emerging threats but provide leapfrog capabilities to maintain our nation ‘s dominance across all domains.
Our National Executive Group, led by AAAA Treasurer, MG (Ret.) Todd Royar, has seized the initiative in developing the path ahead for AAAA’s support to the Branch. Summarized, this initiative is designed to focus Cribbins on the future which is captured in Concept Driven Transformation, and the Summit more on current capabilities as we continue to transform.
I want you to know that your NEG is totally engaged and in synch with the Army Aviation GOSC as we support their initiatives to achieve the CSA’s vision to keep the U.S. Army at the leading edge of technologies, capabilities and tactics to fight and win in any potential scenario.
Be part of the process and register now for Cribbins at www.quad-a.org/25Cribbins.
Above the Best!
MG Wally Golden, U.S. Army Retired
37th President, AAAA
Wally.golden@quad-a.org
