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Contents June 30, 2015, Vol. 64, No. 6

TO THE FIELD 10

10 USASOAC Commander Update

By BG Erik C. Peterson and COL Dean Heitkamp

16 USASOAC Command Chief Warrant Officer Update By CW5 Douglas M. Englen

18 USASOC Command Sergeant Major Update By CSM Gregory M. Chambers

22 Combat Readiness Center Update

By BG Jeffrey A. Farnsworth and COL Michael D. Higgenbotham

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28 Reserve Component Aviation Update By COL J. Ray Davis

30 128th Aviation Brigade Update

By CPT Joseph R. Snoke and SSG Owen M. Cunningham

32 AMRDEC Tech Talk

By Mr. Franklin Collins and Mr. Jesse Gambee

34 Ask the Flight Surgeon

By Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar

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SPECIAL FOCUS — Special Operations Aviation 36 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)

Support to the Global Special Operations Forces Network By COL Michael J. Hertzendorf and MAJ Roger P. Waleski

40 Life at the Bunkers – Enlisted Green Platoon Combat Skills By CPT Lucas G. Harris

44 Preservation of the Night Stalker By MAJ Phillip Royer

46 Synchronizing Green and Blue Suit Maintenance to Support 40

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

Special Operations Aviation By Mr. Steven Blasey, MSG Mathew Bickford and Mr. Danny Kelley

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Contents June 30, 2015, Vol. 64, No. 6

SPECIAL FOCUS — MEDEVAC Proponency 54

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MEDEVAC Update: Lessons Learned for 2025 and Beyond By COL Michael F. Breslin and Mr. Robert D. Mitchell

FROM THE FIELD 54

The Afghanistan Special Mission Wing By COL Donald G. Fallin and CPT Lisa Becker

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Preserving the Legacy - 21st CAV’s Knowledge Management Program By MAJ Christian P. Schleider

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DEPARTMENTS

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AAAA NEWS AAAA President’s Cockpit.......................................................................................................8 AAAA VP Chapter Affairs ......................................................................................................62 Chapter News ........................................................................................................................63 AAAA VP Membership ..........................................................................................................66 New Members ...................................................................................................................... 67 AAAA Family Forum ................................................................................................................68 AAAA Legislative Report ....................................................................................................... 76 AAAA Scholarship Foundation...........................................................................................60

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ARMY AVIATION COMMUNITY NEWS Advertisers Index ..................................................................................................................... 75 Art’s Attic ...................................................................................................................................... 78 Briefings ..........................................................................................................................................6 Calendar ...................................................................................................................................... 77 Hall of Fame ................................................................................................................................ 79 Historical Perspective ............................................................................................................58 Industry News............................................................................................................................ 75 Organic Army Avivation Birthday .........................................................................................9 People on the Move ............................................................................................................... 70 Spotlight .......................................................................................................................................29

ARMY AVIATION is the official journal of the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA). The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors, not the Department of Defense or its elements. The content does not necessarily reflect the official U.S. Army position nor the position of the AAAA or the staff of Army Aviation Publications, Inc., (AAPI). Title Reg® in U.S. Patent office. Registration Number 1,533,053. SUBSCRIPTION DATA: ARMY AVIATION (ISSN 0004-248X) is published monthly, except May and September by AAPI, 593 Main Street, Monroe, CT 06468-2806. Tel: (203) 268-2450, FAX: (203) 268-5870, E-Mail: [email protected]. Army Aviation Magazine E-Mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.quad-a.org. Subscription rates for non-AAAA members: $30, one year; $58, two years; add $10 per year for foreign addresses other than military APOs. Single copy price: $4.00. ADVERTISING: Display and classified advertising rates are listed in SRDS Business Publications, Classification 90. POSTMASTER: Periodicals postage paid at Monroe, CT and other offices. Send address changes to AAPI, 593 Main Street, Monroe, CT 06468-2806.

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

Ready Now Ready For the Future

Sikorsky continues its proven support of Army Aviation with an innovative BLACK HAWK upgrade strategy and the planned flight of the S-97 RAIDER™ helicopter. BLACK HAWK upgrade plans include a fleet-wide standardized cockpit with common architecture that enables lower pilot workload, improved situational awareness and handing qualities, and an integrated MEDEVAC sensor. Preparing for its first flight in 2015, the S-97 RAIDER aircraft will demonstrate unparalleled maneuverability, efficiency in both hover and high speed flight, high/hot performance (10K/95) and significant improvements in range, payload and endurance when compared to conventional light tactical helicopters.

sikorsky.com | follow us on

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

6760 (02/15)

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Briefings

zLate Breaking News - Announcements - Notes

Publisher / William R. Harris Jr.

Milley Tapped for Next CSA

Web Edition / Trudy Hodenfield [email protected] Contributing Editor / Mark Albertson [email protected]

U.S. ARMY PHOTO

Director of Design & Production Anne H. Ewing [email protected]

Family Forum Editor / Judy Konitzer [email protected] Advertising Director / Robert C. Lachowski [email protected]

President Obama announced on May 13 his nomination of GEN Mark A. Milley to be the 39th U.S. Army Chief of Staff. Once approved by the Senate, Milley who currently commands U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), will replace GEN Raymond T. Odierno who has served in that position since September 7, 2011 and will retire later this summer.

Becker 1st Female SOAG AvFID/SOF AO

Advertising Manager / Erika Burgess [email protected]

VP Business Development / Sal D. Lucci [email protected] Circulation Department Deb Cavallaro Debbie Coley Elisabeth Mansson Barbara McCann Corey Stokes Sue Stokes

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MAJ MIKE HALE

Marketing Director / Jennifer Chittem [email protected]

CPT Lisa Becker conducts an AFG-partnered crew mission brief prior to combat operations at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan on April 22. Becker, who is rated in the Russian-made Mi17 helicopter, is the first female Aviation Foreign Internal Defense/Special Operations Forces (AvFID/SOF) Aviation Officer to serve with the Special Operations Aviation Group. SOAG provides American advisors who train and assist the Afghan Special Mission Wing (SMW), which is headquartered in Kabul and is the rotary-wing and fixed-wing intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance component for all Afghan special operations forces.

Web Master / Mary Seymour [email protected] Editorial Address 593 Main Street, Monroe, CT 06468-2806 Tel: (203) 268-2450 / Fax: (203) 268-5870 www.quad-a.org

On The Cover

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

First Heavy ARS Prepares to Deploy

The 1st Armored Division’s 3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment will deploy in August to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield. This will be the unit’s first deployment in its new configuration – just under 500 soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, will deploy with 12 Shadows; the unit will fall in on 24 Apaches already in theater. The squadron, which was reflagged March 16 from 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, was the first of 10 Apache units to receive the Shadow, making it the first Apache battalion to be converted to a heavy attack reconnaissance squadron. CORRECTION:

On page 63 of the May issue the photos of Tracy DuFault and Anne Torza were inadvertently swapped, we apologize for the error.

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in Krum, Texas. The flooding followed a string of tornadoes and thunderstorms in Denton and Cooke counties. Aircraft from the Louisiana Army National Guard were also alerted to provide support.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT ALEXANDER K. NEELY

Editor / CW4 (Ret.) Joseph L. Pisano Sr. [email protected]

June 6, 1942 A Texas Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk crew, partnered with Texas Task Force 1, rescues a person on May 10 from flooding 6

Happy Birthday Organic Army Aviation ! (See page 9) June 30, 2015

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President’s Cockpit

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AAPI PHOTO BY WILLIAM R. HARRIS

Taking Your Voice to the Capitol

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t has been a busy month indeed. Seems like I was meeting every week with our Executive Director in Washington, representing you on some key Army Aviation issues. Most importantly, on May 20th the National Commission on the Future of the Army asked AAAA to present our views on the future aviation force.

Our comments were well received by the Commission. The main point we made was that the Army Restructuring Initiative (ARI) is a symptom of a much greater problem of declining budgets. The Defense Budget is the issue that must be addressed. We need MORE combat aviation brigades (CABs) not less, MORE Aviation capability not less, and MORE trained and ready troops if we are to be ready to answer the call to meet our Army’s requirements. Here are the key points from our presentation. n The AAAA represents the Total Army Aviation force and members of industry. Due to this, AAAA’s goal is to remain neutral on topics that may be seen as adverse to some elements of their membership. AAAA supports all members, industry, and all components of the Army. n AAAA supports the Army’s efforts to create a more modern, ready and affordable structure but has not made any specific statements on ARI or the transfer of AH-64s from the Army National Guard. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

n AAAA supports a more robust Army Aviation force across all components due to the high demands on our aviation units and Soldiers as they meet the national security strategy of the United States. The AAAA is concerned about the long term health and welfare of Aviation Soldiers and their Families because of the extremely high OPTEMPO on Army Aviation forces. n AAAA is supportive of the Army as it builds a more capable force available to support our warfighting demands, homeland defense, and disaster relief missions as well as other future requirements. This capability increase is made possible by maintaining the best equipped and trained force possible in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. n AAAA supports the ongoing and continued modernization of the total force. It is critical for the Army to continue to invest in Army Aviation modernization programs so they remain on schedule and provide the total Army 8

AAAA President, BG (Ret.) E.J. Sinclair (standing) testifies before the National Commission on the Future of the Army, May 20th, in Washington, DC.

with the most capable aviation platforms and components. n AAAA remains steadfast in its support for maintaining the best trained and most ready aviation force in the world to support the Soldier on the ground. The bottom line is that we told the commission the numbers we are hearing for monthly flight time are too low, the OPTEMPO will meet or exceed the height of combat in OEF/OIF and is much too high, and we could be setting ourselves up to repeat our experience of TF Hawk in 1999 if the Defense Budget remains under the Budget Control Act and sequestration. Next, I want to also give a quick update concerning AAAA Summit news. The survey results are in. Jenn Chittem, our Marketing and Communication Director informs us that over 97% of the respondents were Satisfied or Very Satisfied with the 2015 Summit and felt it met their objectives. The biggest takeaway was that a significant number felt that time was now quite tight with the 2.5 day program and would like maybe an extra half day to get meetings done both AAAA chapter/membership centric; and business to business/business to June 30, 2015

Happy Birthday

Organic Army Aviation! 73 years ago on June 6, 1942 . . . in the middle of WWII, the United States War Department sent a memorandum to the commanding general of Army Ground Forces authorizing organic air observation for the Field Artillery. Thus began modern Army Aviation as a key part of ground maneuver, separate and distinct from the Army Air Forces which later became the U.S. Air Force after the war. From this humble beginning, flying Piper Cub L-4 “Liaison” aircraft to the present day, Army Aviation continues to be indispensable. Commanders at every level depend on them to ensure mission success. From observation to medical evacuation; from resupply to air assault; from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to homeland security; from disaster relief to humanitarian rescue, Army Aviation is a vital element in the equation for success. This didn’t happen by chance. Seventy-three years of dedicated, innovative, steadfast development of capabilities and honing of crew skills have met increasingly complex challenges on a world-wide scale. The aviation professionals of the Active, National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve have proven time and again that they are more than up to the tasks set before them. We stand on the shoulders of men like former AAAA President, LTG Bob Williams, and others in the famous 1942 “Class Before One” and those in the “Cub Club” who followed as those early Liaison pilots. Today, we salute the men and women throughout the Army Aviation Enterprise, past, present and future, for their contributions to our nation and look with confidence to the future as they continue to serve “Above the Best!” Happy Birthday Army Aviation!

Army. We are looking at that right now for 2016 in Atlanta April 27-30. We will have a draft program by late summer to share so we can all start planning. Again, our conventions/summits contracts are signed at least five years in advance. Make sure they are on your calendars. Right now we are booked all the way out to 2021. See quad-a.org for specific dates. Also on the Summit for 2016, we have had an amazing pre-booking of exhibits for next year. For the first time ever, we offered our 2015 Summit exhibitors a chance to lock in for the following year if they did so by June 1. I am happy to report over 70 corporations have booked over $1,000,000 already for the 2016 event with over 20% actually increasing their booth sizes over 2015. This is a very good sign for being able to sustain our level of support to our chapARMY AVIATION Magazine

ters, scholarship program, Army Aviation Museum, etc. in the future. Speaking of chapters, on May 21st, the Keystone Chapter, Pennsylvania, hosted a luncheon and AAAA membership drive. They proposed a special pilot program for attendees to have a one-time opportunity to sign-up for an AAAA Life Membership (normally $480) at a significantly reduced cost (one-day only $250). Our VP Membership, CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper; VP Chapters, LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk; and Barbara and Deb from the National Office, quickly put together a plan and we did just that. The results were amazing as 56 new Life Members signed on the spot! We will be looking at the possibility of rolling out similar one-day events across the AAAA chapter spectrum in the future you can be sure. 9

Finally, Bill Harris and I met with our chairman of the AAAA Senior Executive Associates, former VCSA, GEN Jack Keane, in DC to see how we can continue to evolve the program to make it even more effective as a tool to get your issues in front of key decision makers in government and industry. Bottom line is that from tactical chapter issues and individual memberships to advocating for Army Aviation Force Structure that has strategic consequences, AAAA is there for you, the Army Aviation Soldier and Family. Let us know how we can do even better. Have a great summer! BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret. 32nd President, AAAA [email protected] June 30, 2015

USASOAC Commander Update z Publisher’s Note: For this Special Operations Aviation focused issue, the branch chief, MG Michael Lundy, has coordinated having the commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command, BG Erik C. Peterson, his command chief warrant officer, and command sergeant major provide the lead, “To the Field,” command group articles.

Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA)

2030

By BG Erik C. Peterson and COL Dean Heitkamp

n behalf of the entire U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) team we sincerely appreciate the opportunity to share some thoughts and observations from the Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA) perspective in this month’s publication. Thirteen plus years of unprecedented, sustained combat operations and shared accomplishment and contribution in the face of great adversity have made the entire Army Aviation community more capable, interoperable, and interdependent than ever before. Through both formal coordination and programs, and informal dialogue, collaboration and camaraderie we strive to not only retain these gains, but to advance them and grow even more capable – as members of the Army Aviation team. In this edition of AAAA’s magazine we share an outline of our strategic vision, offer key leader insights, highlight the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s (Airborne) support to the USSOCOM global Special Operations Forces “Network,” and provide information on some of our unique programs and initiatives. We hope you find these contributions informative and we look forward to working together to provide our nation and our supported forces with the premier aviation support they need and deserve. Volare Optimos Above the Best -BG Erik Peterson -CW5 Doug Englen -CSM Greg Chambers

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION COMMAND PHOTO

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rmy Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA) was born out of the failed attempt to rescue American hostages held in Tehran, Iran in 1980. The Holloway Commission investigation, and report that followed the failed mission, asserted that our nation required a dedicated aviation force to support growing ground and maritime special operations capabilities. This was the impetus for establishing the original dedicated ARSOA force Task Force 158 - later redesignated as the 160 Special Operations Aviation Battalion. In the 35 years since that humble beginning, ARSOA units have been called upon to execute a wide variety of missions, ranging from Hostage Rescue (HR) and Direct Action (DA) raids to Unconventional Warfare (UW) support, Aviation Foreign Internal Defense (AvFID), and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO). These missions required rapidly deploying ARSOA forces to execute operations in every environ-

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Above photo: CW3 Doug Armstrong, USASOC Flight Company (UFC), with Army Chief of Staff GEN Raymond Odierno, in the cockpit of a C-27J “Spartan” aircraft, discuss the Spartan’s capabilities supporting special operations forces training.

ment and mission profile for a wide variety of supported maneuver forces and commanders. This unique capability is provided by a learning organization that seeks to continuously improve and places a premium on the selection, training and professional development of both Soldiers and civilians. In that spirit, we

June 30, 2015

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ARMY AVIATION Magazine

S E C U R I N G

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T H E

F U T U R E

U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION COMMAND PHOTO

Soldiers prepare to load an MH-47G as part of a training exercise. In performing the task of providing the Nation with the best trained, lethal, and effective force on the planet, U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) understands a significant focus must also be placed on affordability to the Nation, especially in the current era of fiscal austerity and uncertainty.

are deliberately looking forward and shaping ARSOA for 2030 and beyond. As we look forward toward 2030, we expect to face an exceptionally complex operating environment and multidimensional threats, both conventional and non-conventional. For example, we expect to operate in the complex urban environment of megacities where legitimate governance may fail and diverse, hybrid threat networks will operate freely, seeking to attain an asymmetric advantage. We also expect to face traditional adversary states with relatively modern capabilities and the ever present challenges of extreme physical environments. Lastly, we can be fairly confident that we will continue to face a period of fiscal uncertainty and austerity that will require tough decisions on the tradeoffs between capability, capacity, and readiness. ARSOA 2030: Strategic Priorities Meeting the challenges of a volatile, uncertain future environment requires a deliberate approach that sustains and matures our vital, enduring capabilities while simultaneously adapting to meet emerging requirements and counter evolving threats. To that end, the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command is currently drafting ARSOA 2030, our blueprint for the future. ARSOA 2030 is a strategic framework, nested with national, U.S. Army, U.S. Special Operations Command, and U.S. Army Special Operations ComARMY AVIATION Magazine

mand strategic guidance. At the heart of ARSOA 2030 are our strategic priorities, which provide the direction for the entire ARSOA enterprise as we purposefully move into the future. Sustain Our Core Competencies Beyond The Current Fight ARSOA provides the nation unique capability and expertise; much of which is difficult to replicate, substitute or replace, given the investment made in attaining that capability. Our first strategic priority, Sustain Our Core Competencies Beyond The Current Fight, keeps us focused on characteristics, principles and approaches that we assert are enduring; those proven things which define us now and remain applicable in the future operating environment. Our commitment to culture focuses on competence, character, and relentless commitment to mission accomplishment. It yields a cohesive professional force with a strong reputation for mission success, trusted by those we support. Critical to sustaining this culture is the ability to recruit, assess, select, train, and retain highly talented personnel from the broader Army and Army Aviation. Aircraft, equipment, and tactics change, but building and sustaining the right team, with the right culture remains an imperative. It is also vital that ARSOA forces remain postured and ready to provide agile, globally responsive aviation capabilities in any environment. To do 12

this, our carefully selected team must be rigorously trained and appropriately equipped to maintain the credible readiness and flexibility our mission and supported commanders demand. We must be ready now - without the luxury of additional train-up - to rapidly respond and accomplish key missions, anywhere required. Our ARSOA forces must remain adaptive and innovative to meet national objectives in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. We must continue to adapt and evolve in the face of ever changing threats, and maintain structures and processes that leverage innovation. The people, processes, authorities and trust that allow us to rapidly develop and implement solutions remain vital to our success. Posture to Provide SOA Support Forward Our strategic priority, Posture to Provide SOA Support Forward, focuses on providing our nation with the unique ARSOA capabilities required to meet global objectives. In addition to being able to deploy globally and operate in any environment for contingency operations, we must also support enduring special warfare requirements and Geographic Combatant Commanders’ (GCC’s) theater engagement and partner nation capacity building priorities. This requires expertise in the human domain and increased emphasis on cultural awareness. To that end we are aligning most of our battalions with specific regions and corresponding GCCs while retaining the flexibility to meet prioritized contingency requirements. We must also improve our capability to build partner nation SOF rotary wing aviation capacity in support of GCC’s priorities. This includes developing our own doctrine, training, and education required for effective partner nation engagement. We are also working on refining policy, authorities and funding unique to assisting partner nations. Advising, assisting and training partner nation SOF rotary wing aviation further strengthens the global network, offsets demand for US forces, and promotes regional stability. We must also be capable of providing small-footprint, low-signature, tailorable solutions, with both manned and unmanned aircraft in support of unconventional warfare campaigns and smaller contingency operations. There are many places in the world where the June 30, 2015

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requirement for the culture, adaptability and innovation of ARSOA is welcome and requested, but where a large overt U.S. military presence is not. Maintain the Comparative Advantage Over Our Adversaries ARSOAC’s third strategic priority, Maintain the Comparative Advantage Over Our Adversaries, asserts that we must remain capable of performing our mission across the full spectrum of operations and do so in the face of evolving threats. We must optimize technology and human performance to facilitate rapid innovation, adaptability and agility to continue to guarantee success in any environment. We have to operate in the extremes of climate, terrain and natural environments as well as densely populated urban environments. In concert with Army, SOCOM and DoD we will also invest in focused science and technology, and research and development initiatives to exploit leap-ahead opportunities and achieve overmatch. While we must utilize all the technological advantages possible, we have to successfully execute missions when those advantages are degraded or denied. Our doctrine and tactics need to

evolve to stay ahead of thinking adversaries and the proliferation of threat technologies. We are doing so through study, analysis and experimentation and continued investment in our institutional and force generation structure. It is essential to invest further in our intelligence analysis personnel and processes while ensuring we remain integrated with the interagency intelligence team to identify and counter emerging threats. As our doctrine and tactics evolve, the problem solving capacity and innovation of our great Soldiers will remain our greatest strength. Finally, we must also closely protect our advantages from our adversaries by maintaining firm operational security.

Improve Affordability Without Sacrificing Effectiveness To continue maintaining effectiveness in the face of evolving threats and an uncertain fiscal environment, it is imperative that we improve affordability without sacrificing effectiveness. If our task was solely to provide our nation with the best SOF aviation capability in the world – unconstrained – it would be relatively easy. The reality is that we have to be affordable. In this

era of fiscal austerity and uncertainty, our stewardship and resourcing responsibilities are more important than ever. This begins with an understanding and careful management of the total cost of ownership of our major systems, and associated investment and modernization programs. We will continue to leverage Joint and Service common solutions that meet our special operations requirements when it makes sense, as well as the interoperability and commonality of components on our airframes. These efforts are already showing promise in reducing procurement and sustainment costs while enhancing readiness. We also continue to refine and improve our integrated health monitoring systems, to not only get useful data, but to develop accurate diagnostics enabling well-informed decisions on the removal or repair of critical components. We see the future for conditions based maintenance not only promising but essential, as onboard data collection and supporting analysis increasingly predicts and prevents unscheduled downtime, helping to extend “time on wing” of expensive, vital components. This approach also promises to improve efficiency with parts and spares management and overall maintenance forecasting and management. Lastly, we must continue to seek ways to reduce fuel consumption. This goes beyond just saving money – it reduces our logistical demand and footprint forward, and offers the opportunity to better support the ground force. As we reduce fuel consumption, we can extend our range, provide the ground force with greater useful load, or increase power margins during critical phases of the mission--all which equate to greater flexibility, where and when we need it. Based on the future operating environment, fiscal realities, and the national strategic guidance, ARSOA 2030 provides the blueprint for how Army Special Operations Aviation is focused on the future while remaining committed to current and enduring requirements. Volare Optimos! BG Erik C. Peterson is the commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command located at Fort Bragg, NC; COL Dean Heitkamp is the Deputy Commander.

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June 30, 2015

The Best of Both Worlds

Now the proud owners of the Model 234 Chinook AND the Boeing CH-47D!

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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USASOAC Command Chief Warrant Officer Update z

A Profession Within a Profession

ALL PHOTOS USASOAC COURTESY PHOTOS

By CW5 Douglas M. Englen

A

n airline transport pilot certificate requires a pilot to be 23 years of age and have 1,500 hours total time as a pilot. Pilots with fewer than 1,500 flight hours may qualify for a restricted privileges airline transport pilot certificate beginning at 21 years of age if they are a military-trained pilot, have a bachelor’s degree with an aviation major, or have an associate’s degree with an aviation major.

What does that mean with respect to our profession as Army Aviation Warrant Officers? What does that mean to an Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA) Warrant Officer? The aviation professionalism is the core competency we abide by in order to maintain and develop the force.

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grown in parallel with military aviation since 1926, but controls the airspace and regulations we operate in outside military special use airspace. So, we as Army Aviators are required to maintain our professional pilot (aviator) credibility to remain

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comparative. Taking the discussion one step further, ARSOA maintains the Army Aviation core competencies to remain relevant, and adds more complex mission requirements developed by the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). Warrant officers within the USASOAC not only ensure the technical and tactical competence expected of the cohort, but also the continuity of expertise managing ARSOA warfighting systems and equipment that is unique across the Department of Defense. Separate doctrine was developed over decades of lessons learned within SO. This doctrine provides flexibility in a fluid threat environment. An ARSOA WO must be educated in the full spectrum

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of SO (to include all military sister service regulations) to determine course of action development, both conventionally and unconventionally. This is the primary reason for high proficiency levels once an Aviator WO enters ARSOA as outlined in DA PAM 600-3. An ARSOA WO is charged with a high level of responsibility ranging from tactical to strategic level planning while operating in a decentralized controlled environment. How do we do it? Train, educate, and learn. We train to the Army core values and skills, in addition to sister service regulations and tactics (like the Air Force Weapons School, the Marine Weapons Tactics Instructor course, etc.). We teach Army doctrine with a primary concentration to the guidelines of Joint Doctrine and Publications, since not all ground forces within SOCOM are Army. We learn from our successes and mistakes by means of brutal mission de-briefs and rehearsals. We also learn from the

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

entire joint military aviation enterprise since we are small force. Strategic Guidance – ARSOA, as a special operations joint force provider for the entire SOCOM enterprise, operating by, with, and through partner nations, host nations, allies, and the interagency enterprise. Understanding the cascading strategic guidance provided by the National Security Council, Department of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Army, SOCOM and USASOC, is critical to determining the future requirements for ARSOA forces. Aside from the challenges of supporting the SOCOM enterprise, our true interdependence is with the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and U.S. Aviation Center of Excellence (CAC, USAACE). The core subjects are taught by the WO Advanced Course, ILE and SSE; the bedrock of our profession within SO. ARSOA is not an effective force without the Army Aviation education system,

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defining skills provided by USAACE (Track schools, DOTD, DES, TCM’s, etc.). We additionally rely on the aviation talent, superb equipment, and advanced technology the Army Aviation enterprise provides. Total Army personnel end strength has had a direct impact on our recruiting over the last 30 years. The latest aviation restructure initiative will also have ARSOA recruiting effects on the Army Aviation WO availability. Our Special Operations Aviation Warrant Officers are proud to be a part of something very large residing within small units. We truly enjoy flying the nation’s special operations forces, anytime, anywhere around the globe. Volare Optimos, “To Fly the Best.” CW5 Douglas M. Englen, is the third command chief warrant officer of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) (USASOAC), Fort Bragg, NC.

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USASOC Command Sergeant Major Update z

A Culture of Standards By CSM Gregory M. Chambers

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- it requires an organizational culture committed to standards. In the special operations community we have created a culture of standards by investing in human capital. One of the SOF Truths, “People are more important than Hardware”, is our most important imperative, and it is constant in everything we do at the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC). Leaders within the USASOAC understand that investing in Soldiers leads to mission success. As leaders we owe our Soldiers

Soldiers conducting close air support, call for fires delivered by an MH-60 Defensive Armed Penetrator (DAP).

the best leadership, and within this command we do that through structured MOS progression, career professional development, and investment in tough realistic training programs. The Making of a USASOAC Soldier One of the things that make USASOAC unique is that every Soldier must reaffirm his or her ability to achieve the Army standard prior to assimilating into the organization. Enlisted members of USASOAC are trained and tested at Enlisted Combat Skills, formally known as “Green Platoon Combat Skills” as part of their accession into the command. There are no “Special” standards during Combat USASOAC COURTESY PHOTO

Although Army doctrine, Army regulations, unit regulations, programs of instruction, and unit standard operating procedures provide Soldiers and leaders with an understanding of the standard, it requires strong leadership to foster an environment where strict enforcement can be maintained. Regardless of the framework used, whether it’s time-ontarget plus or minus thirty seconds, the Army Special Operations Promise, or the imperatives contained within ARSOA 2030, maintaining a high level of proficiency requires more than strategy

USASOAC COURTESY PHOTO

tandards — the accomplishment of every Army mission, is grounded in the strict adherence to a task standard, and carried out by disciplined and responsible Soldiers and leaders.

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Soldiers in Enlisted Green Platoon conduct log physical training.

June 30, 2015

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ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

Skills, simply a strict adherence to the Army standard. As we say in USASOAC, we aren’t trying to exceed the Army standard, but rather we are trying to be the best at the Army standard. By the end of the Combat Skills process the enlisted Soldier has been introduced to the dedicated culture of achieving strict standards and it is in this context that USASOAC Soldiers are rapidly assimilated into their line Companies, and instantly contribute to a team that is able to operate around the world in any environment. Beyond Combat Skills Because USASOAC has dedicated training elements within the command, it is able to maintain 28 in-house, dedicated Army approved programs of instruction (POI) that produce USASOAC basic mission qualified pilots, enlisted non-rated crewmembers, enlisted flight instructors, enlisted flight medics and enlisted aircraft maintainers. These structured programs provide the continued reinforcement of standards to ensure the Soldier is successful during their assignment in the command as it concerns their individual specialty. Additionally, the command invests in numerous low density programs to professionally grow technically and tactically proficient Soldiers within their career fields. Our young Quartermaster, Signal, Human Resource, Military Intelligence, Ordnance and Medical Soldiers are subject to structured MOS

progression programs that develop them within their specialty, but also develop them as a valuable team member to the USASOAC mission. Professional development as a Soldier is critical to every Soldier’s career. The Professional Ethic requires that Soldiers are committed (Commitment), that they are competent at their job (Competence) and that they possess values, ethics and morals (Character). Although these three words are not recited in every training POI or SOP within the command, the core of any event fosters an environment of commitment, competence and character. Every good ARSOA Soldier must first and foremost be a Professional Soldier. Early in an enlisted Soldier’s assignment to the command, junior Soldiers are given a tremendous amount of responsibility to grow professionally as an individual, as a competent team member, and as subject matter expert within their field. Section sergeants, platoon sergeants, first sergeants and command sergeants major take a vested interest through numerous professional development programs to foster a life-long learning environment. Development model and leaders ensure the time and resources are structured to meet this important requirement. Professional military education, selfstructured development, broadening opportunities, NCOIC duties of small teams and leadership assignments within the command provide the basis for the solid progression to a Professional Soldier. Additionally, the command runs a comprehensive Talent Management program in conjunction with USASOC for all its sergeants first class, master sergeants, sergeants major and command sergeants major. This process ensures that we are utilizing the “Talent” correctly across the command and the Army. Mission Focused Training Model Training is the cornerstone of any Army unit, in the USASOAC community, constant challenging and realistic training is the capstone to setting and maintaining high standards. There are two unique characteristics that USASOAC has when it comes to training. Its habitual relationship with the ground force (our customers) and how we regionally align the operational units. Regional alignment with our

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theater special operation commands (TSOCs) allows our units to capitalize on valuable JCS and joint combined exchange training ( JCET) exercises around the world. These training events not only provide valuable training venues, but they also educate Soldiers about the TSOC AOR and the countries they work in. The habitual relationship that USASOAC has with its customer base is invaluable. When a unit has the ability to work with the supported customer throughout its combat development lifecycle, the training and the standards gleaned serve as combat multipliers that make both the customer and the ARSOA capability stronger. Although combat provides an excellent venue for refining the smallest details, the constant engagement during training in numerous environments and mission profiles serves as the placeholder for exacting standards. Conclusion Training and Soldier development programs within the USASOAC help support the three main imperatives that we have outlined in our future operating concept, ARSOA 2030. In this document we have challenged ourselves to assess the current force, develop the future force and, generate the future force. Being part of a special culture that breeds success requires a significant investment into our training programs and human capital. This investment produces highly competent, committed Soldiers that can be trusted to carry out tough missions around the world. It’s these programs that foster an environment or culture of committed excellence towards mission accomplishment and team work. The “Love of the Job” is at the heart of every ARSOA Soldier. So, whether it’s supporting the Global SOF Network, working with coalition partners, partner nations or fellow ARSOA units, investment in Human Capital and enforcing strict military standards is important to the successful accomplishment of the mission.

CSM Gregory M. Chambers is the command sergeant major for the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command, Fort Bragg, NC. June 30, 2015

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ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

Combat Readiness Center Update z

DVE Training: The Bridging Strategy to Owning the Environment

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT DANIEL SCHROEDER

By BG Jeffrey A. Farnsworth and COL Michael D. Higgenbotham

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he UH-60L Black Hawk aircrew has one minute and forty-seven seconds to live.

With the routine precision of countless iterations, the left and right crew chiefs clear the aircraft up and the pilot in command smoothly applies collective. The aircraft ascends into the dark night providing escort to the MEDEVAC aircraft en route to the assigned Category Alpha 9-line evacuation mission. Reported weather for the mission was skies clear, greater than 3 miles visibility, and zero illumination. The terrain surrounding the remote forward operating base was open and flat desert with a riverbed adjacent to the base, but no other good visual ground references or cultural lighting along the remaining route of flight. After completing the M240D weapons checks, a crew chief announces ARMY AVIATION Magazine

on the intercom system, “Oh my God, it is dark out here.” The pilot in command does not acknowledge this statement. The aircrew has one minute and three seconds to live. The pilot on the controls banks the aircraft to the right, turning from a westerly departure off the pad to a heading of 030 while following the lead aircraft. CMOS has been armed, and the aircraft has now climbed to an above ground level altitude of approximately 800 feet. Both nonrated crewmembers state again on the ICS how dark it is and the fact they cannot see. The entire aircrew makes no additional preparations to operate in degraded visual environment (DVE). 22

An Apache helicopter hovers while approaching a forward arming and refueling point in the Orgun province of Afghanistan.

The aircrew has twelve seconds to live. They lose visual reference with the ground. The combination of zero illumination and low contrast terrain, along with lack of a visible horizon due to dust in the air, essentially creates a zero-zero visual environment. The pilot on the controls does not acknowledge this condition and does not execute inadvertent IMC procedures. The aircrew has four seconds to live. With the absence of outside visual reference and failure to immediately transition to instruments when IIMC, the pilot on the controls experiences type III incapacitating spatial disorientation (SD). Without the ability to understand June 30, 2015

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June 30, 2015

the aircraft’s orientation, he pitches it 20 degrees nose low and rolls 135 degrees to the left. The aircraft departs controlled flight, impacting the terrain below and resulting in the deaths of all four crewmembers.

Greatest Contributing Factor

Improving Understanding

To address the first trend of needing to improve aircrew understanding of DVE, the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine (USASAM) is performing the first comprehensive review and rewrite of basic doctrine of the physiological factors for loss of SA and SD. COL Mark McPherson, USASAM dean, said, “We will provide a simpler mental model to prevent spatial disorientation by providing pilots practical methods to recognize the conditions and countermeasures to respond to SD instead of rote

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMM SPEC 2ND CLASS JON RASMUSSEN

U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC) mishap investigations continue to highlight that pilots losing situational awareness (SA) or becoming spatially disorientated within DVE continues to be Army Aviation’s great-

25 years, with 1996 being our best year with zero SD mishaps. Our worst year of this time period, with a rate of 1.66, occurred in 2003 during the initiation of combat operations in the harsh desert terrain of Southwest Asia. There is a fundamental difference between the FY03 mishaps and those that occurred this year. In 2003, almost every SD mishap (14 of 17) occurred during combat operations in unfamiliar terrain with enormous stress and pressure on the crews to accomplish their wartime mission. In stark contrast, all three loss of SA or SD mishaps this year occurred

est single contributing factor to Class A-B flight mishaps. Since the initiation of combat operations in 2002, this contributing factor has accounted for 24 percent of aircraft crashes and 44 percent of aviation fatalities. To highlight the urgency of this problem and bring senior leader attention to this mishap trend, the Army chief of staff issued his FY15 Army Safety and Occupational Health Objectives for aviation by setting the goal of reducing the loss of SA or SD mishaps in DVE by 50 percent. However, the trend to date shows we are moving in the wrong direction. FY15 is on track to be aviation’s fourth worst year for SD and loss of SA mishaps since 1990, with a loss rate of 0.75 for these factors – more than 2.5 times higher than the 10-year average of 0.30. This statistic equates in real terms to three aircraft lost and 11 fatalities this year. The rate of SD mishaps (per 100K flight hours) has varied during the past ARMY AVIATION Magazine

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter causes a brownout as it arrives at a remote landing zone near Walan Rabat village in Shah Joy district, Afghanistan, March 22, 2012.

during training (two in CONUS and one in theater) where there was only perceived mission pressure and the easy ability to delay the mission until more suitable conditions were present. The accident sequence described above clearly illustrates the problem aviators face while operating in DVE. In the past 25 years of USACRC mishap recommendations in cases involving loss of SA or SD within DVE, three clear trends emerge that are also present within this crash. The first is the need to improve aircrew understanding of the DVE environment; second is addressing systemic decision-making errors by aircrews; and lastly is implementing the enduring recommendation to improve basic skills necessary to control aircraft in reduced visibility and IMC. 24

memorization of illusions.” Revision of this portion of TC 3.04-93 aligns with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) commander’s efforts to “defrag the hard drive” by simplifying doctrine and providing a pilot what he or she needs to know. The new doctrine will provide pilots reference material that is easily understandable, but more importantly, can be applied continuously within the aircraft as part of the aircrew coordination process with easy-toapply indicators that conditions for SD are becoming prevalent. USASAM is working closely with the Directorate of Training and Doctrine as part of the ongoing Aircrew Coordination Training Working Group to nest new DVE indicators into revised training June 30, 2015

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June 30, 2015

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SFC FRED GURWELL

scenarios to give aircrews the tools to make timely decisions and effectively manage increased cockpit workload under these conditions.

The silhouette of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen through a cloud of dust churned by its rotor blades as it picks up Soldiers from Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade during air assault training in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 29, 2012.

Crew Decision Making Errors

by the USACRC. The scenarios are constructed to train the crew on both the physical task of flying in DVE and, more importantly, the decision-making necessary to avoid crashing the aircraft within the scenario. COL John Smyrski, USAARL commander, said that “by utilizing USAARL’s Black Hawk research simulator, our research team is developing realistic training scenarios for identifying and combatting spatial disorientation. The stop, start, and rewind benefits of this simulator-based training allows aviators to develop effective strategies to fly in any degraded visual environment while reducing the chances of an adverse outcome.”

The second trend is systematic decision making errors by pilots in command while operating in DVE. In the scenario above, crewmembers commented on three occasions about the absence of illumination with no response from the pilot in command. More importantly, no aircrew coordination actions were directed by the pilot in command (PC) to determine performance degradation due to low illumination nor were any decisions made to select an alternate course of action. Another example is from the USACRC database’s first recorded incident of spatial disorientation occurring in 1972, which stated, “It was bad judgment on the aircraft commander’s part. After entering IMC, the aircraft commander elected to fly low level in the clouds to try and maintain visual contact with the treetops in mountainous terrain. The judgment and decision of the aircraft commander resulted in the aircraft crashing into the ridgeline.” In both cases, the PC’s decision to continue VMC flight in DVE conditions without visual reference to the ground led to the fatal crash of both aircraft. To assist commanders in training decisionmaking within DVE, the U.S. Army Aviation Research Laboratory (USAARL) is developing revised DVE training simulator scenarios that place aviators into DVE with a mission task to accomplish, based on actual mishaps provided ARMY AVIATION Magazine

IMC Flight Proficiency

The final, obvious trend is that aircrews should increase their instrument flight proficiency to be prepared to transition safely to IMC flight when operating in DVE. The repeated findings in SD and loss of SA mishaps in DVE include aircrew failure to properly transition to instrument flight during IIMC procedures or when executing a goaround during aborted dust landings. With an improper transition, the pilot is unable to execute the basic instrument skills taught in flight school of leveling aircraft attitude, turn only to avoid known obstacles, and initiate a climb. This task error invariably results in loss of aircraft control and impact 26

with terrain or obstacles. Commanders already know the fix to this problem and can do so by assigning the appropriate number of task iterations on a pilot’s Commander’s Task List and prioritizing this training. There is also the additional responsibility of each pilot to take these opportunities and maximize every aircraft and simulator flight hour to maintain proficiency in their basic flight skills. Training to operate effectively in DVE on our current generation aircraft is the bridging strategy that will get us to our future goal of “owning the environment.” Operating advanced aircraft systems in zero-zero weather conditions will place a significant burden on aircrews to understand their environment, make rapid and accurate decisions to accomplish their missions and keep their aircraft safe, and will challenge every aviator to properly execute basic flight tasks while in a task-saturated mission profile. We need to reverse the negative trends of 2015 and look to the future so every aviation unit is ready to cross the line of departure with the ground force, regardless of conditions. BG Jeffrey A. Farnsworth is the Director of Army Safety and commanding general of the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center; and COL Michael D. Higginbotham is the director of the USACRC Aviation Directorate, both located at Fort Rucker, AL. June 30, 2015

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June 30, 2015

Reserve Component Aviation Update z

Know Yourself…

By COL J. Ray Davis

USARNG PHOTO BY SSG SHANE HAMANN, 102ND MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DET.

Aircraft mechanics with 1st Bn., 185th Avn. Regt., Mississippi Army National Guard perform scheduled maintenance on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter May 6, 2014 at the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport.

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reetings again from your Army National Guard (ARNG). I just took over the reins of the ARNG Aviation and Safety Division from Mark Weiss. Mark left behind some incredibly big shoes to fill, but I’m fortunate to have a great team that will help me do so.

I’d like to publicly thank Mark for his 28-plus years of service, as he heads off to retirement and another chapter in what’s been an amazing life thus far. For my first crack at this, I’d like to talk about ARNG Aviation Maintenance – specifically a recent initiative that we hope will bear (large) fruit, and one that I’d like your help refining. For the past 2-plus years, we at the Guard have employed a quarterly Aviation Scorecard. This readiness assessment tool was designed as a supplement to the Commander’s Unit Status Report (CUSR), to help state army aviaARMY AVIATION Magazine

tion officers (SAAOs) “see themselves” (i.e., their units); to help the Director, ARNG ensure that his resources are optimally applied; and to help our Aviation & Safety Division identify forcewide trends. Ultimately it aims to improve our readiness nationally, through the timely application of resources and sharing of best business practices. Recently, we added a Logistics Module to the Scorecard, to help our Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) commanders “see themselves.” We’ve long believed that a FullyMission Capable (FMC) rate, by itself, 28

is an insufficient performance metric, and that other attribute measurements are needed to provide a complete picture of a facility’s maintenance practices and outcomes. So, currently, we are measuring 7 attributes that describe the performance and character of an AASF (since the ARNG primarily does facility-based maintenance, rather than unit-based maintenance, in peacetime): Fully-Mission Capable (FMC) Rate – This is the standard DA 1352 statistic, measured over the reporting quarter. As with all our metrics, we mathematically compare performance (in this case the FMC percentage) to a standard (in this case, 75%). So an FMC score of 1.0 means “we’re meeting the standard.” Mission-Capable (MC) Rate – For peacetime Guard operations, MC is often more important than FMC…has the facility put up enough aircraft to meet the next day’s training missions? Bank – This is the classic “surge capacity” metric that helps ensure a reasonable phase flow, and also provides a “new-to-theater”, learning-curve buffer. Production – This metric reflects how many phases have been accomplished in the past reporting period - how many flight hours has the maintenance program “produced.” Service Velocity – How long does it take (in Non-Mission Capable hours) to complete an intermediate service? This helps assess scheduled maintenance practices and the level of training within the facility’s maintenance teams. Ideally, we’d look at all scheduled services, especially phases, but we chose the intermediate service initially, since June 30, 2015

NEWS

SPOTLIGHT

Three West Point Grad Aviators Headed to Space Again

Kimbrough

T

hree retired colonels, all U.S. Military Academy graduates, will head to space starting in November, with Tim Kopra (Class of 1985) off to the International Space Station (ISS) for the standard visit of about six months. Before Kopra returns to Earth in May 2016, Jeff Williams (‘80) will launch in March, returning that September.

Kopra

The same month Williams lands, Shane Kimbrough (‘89) will head into orbit, scheduled to be gone until early 2017. It will be the first extended stay in space for Kimbrough, who flew on a 16-day mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 2008 that assisted in ISS assembly.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASA

Williams

it occurs frequently enough to gather sufficient trend data. Critical Skills – How well-stocked is the facility with maintenance test pilots, non-destructive inspection (NDI) inspectors, and confined space maintainers – those folks who are indispensable to rapid repair and testing? Personnel – How well-manned is the facility with full-time maintainers? Have wrench-turners been diverted to other, non-maintenance duties? Is recruiting up to snuff ? We’re refining two other logistics metrics, and hope to have them in place at the beginning of 2016: Cost-Efficiency – How much is the facility spending on repair parts (by ARMY AVIATION Magazine

Operation Desert Storm veteran Kopra visited the station for two months in 2009 and became the first person to send a Twitter message from the ISS. Williams will be making his fourth trip to space and his third long-duration ISS stay. He’ll also pass a major milestone, entering the flight with more than 362 days off the planet.

Mission-Design-Series)? Is the facility’s troubleshooting effective and sufficient? Ideally we’d like to identify how much is being spent on each tail number, but so far we haven’t figured out how to pull that data from our automated systems (AMCOM: we could use some help here – wouldn’t it be nice to really know which aircraft are the parts-dogs?). Maintenance Quality – How good is the maintenance the facility is doing? How many precautionary landings, mission-failures, and delayed take-offs are due to maintenance? Turning a phase overnight is of marginal benefit if those aircraft have poor reliability. As with our unit-based Readiness Module (which employs aviation29

based manning and training metrics), our Logistics Module promises to be a useful tool. We strive not to make decisions based on just one report, but rather to identify fleet-wide trends and star-performers who can “pull us” to higher readiness. We’d like to hear from you. Send me your ideas and thoughts, and if found beneficial, we’ll incorporate them into our Scorecard Block III, which will debut in early 2016. Fix Well, Fly Often, Stay Guard. COL J. Ray Davis is the chief of the Army National Guard Aviation and Safety Division located in Arlington, VA. June 30, 2015

128th Aviation Brigade Update z For this issue, I’ve asked the A/2-210 commander to provide an overview of the impact your schoolhouse instructors have on the entry-level Army Aviation maintainers coming through the various programs. “Above the Best!” COL Rigole, Commander

128th Aviation Brigade Instructors – The Bedrock of Army Aviation By CPT Joseph R. Snoke and SSG Owen M. Cunningham

A

When Advanced Individual Training (AIT) Soldiers pass through the doors for the 17 week 15U10 training course, they will be taught fundamental maintenance procedures to prepare them for the responsibilities of their first assignment. They will receive training on how to navigate through the electronic technical manuals, how to use interactive software to demonstrate maintenance tasks, and how to use Cargo Helicopter Maintenance Trainers (CHMTs) to gain hands-on experience. The technological advances of training devices and classroom multimedia programs have significantly increased the quality of training AIT Soldiers receive; however, no technology can replace the importance of the instructors responsible for imparting the knowledge on students. The future of Army Aviation still continues to depend on an instructor’s professionalism, expertise, and teaching capabilities to prepare these new Soldiers to become the future of our branch. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

128th AVN BDE COURTESY PHOTO

lpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, 128th Aviation Brigade provides world class CH-47 Chinook maintenance training utilizing state-ofthe-art training devices, classrooms, and equipment.

SFC Ray, Master Instructor for Co. A, 2nd Bn., 210th Avn. Regt., provides PV2 Hall with expert mentorship and guidance on properly maintaining the Chinook helicopter hydraulic systems.

Mentor, Teacher, Role Model Upon completion of Basic Combat Training, Soldiers will arrive at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia to take the first step in their aviation career. CH-47 15U10 training begins when the students arrive and are introduced to the instructors assigned to the class. It is at this moment that these students 30

are first exposed to the noncommissioned officers (NCO) who constitute the backbone of Army Aviation. Students will see their instructors as the standard bearers, an image of what right looks like, and will begin to emulate their actions. This 17-week course is a critical period in the professional development and Soldierization of these new Soldiers, and it is just as equally June 30, 2015

critical that the instructors become mentors, teachers, and role models to represent Army Aviation. Instructors will lead their students through the programs of instruction (POIs) beginning with the utilization of basic tools all the way through the culminating Situational Training Exercise (STX) which simulates an environment that many Soldiers will experience at their first unit. Instructors will reinforce the Army Values daily through classes and discussion and use their personal experiences to further enhance the importance of service and what it means to be a part of the Army Profession. The critical importance of an instructor requires that they possess competence, aircraft subject matter expertise, and are properly trained on how to be an effective instructor. The Making of an Instructor The average instructor assigned to Alpha Company is an NCO with approximately 10–15 years of service who has held numerous aviation duty positions. Instructors come from many

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

different backgrounds and a variety of career paths where they were inevitably required, as NCOs, to give blocks of instruction to their peers and subordinates. In the 128th Avn. Bde., this basic ability to teach is further cultivated and developed through a company mentorship program along with a series of courses designed to allow instructors to effectively pass on their diverse knowledge to AIT students. Upon completion of these courses, NCOs are deemed assistant instructors (AI) and proceed to enter a company mentorship program referred to as the Training Assistance Program (TAP) where they will be paired with a senior instructor. This program introduces the AI to the lesson plans, test administration procedures, and certifies their use of training devices. The AI will not become a certified instructor until their senior mentor determines that all requirements have been met and that they possess the skills required to be successful. Once a Soldier has been certified and given the title as an instructor, the learning curve then truly begins. Instructors are rou-

31

tinely evaluated on their teaching techniques, technical content, and overall professionalism. Not all understand the importance of an AIT Instructor assignment. These instructors provide new Soldiers with their first impressions of Army Aviation and the NCO leadership within their ranks. Instructors must understand their vital role in shaping the future of the Army. The trust that stems between students and instructors is vital for the passage of knowledge that protects the lives of anyone who steps upon an aircraft. It is with this understanding that the 128th Avn. Bde. continues to improve and refine the instructor development process in order to produce the world’s greatest aviation instructors that will train the world’s greatest aviation maintainers. CPT Joseph R. Snoke is the commander and SSG Owen M. Cunningham an instructor/writer assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, 128th Aviation Brigade, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA.

June 30, 2015

AMRDEC Tech Talk z

Taking the High Ground with OTR and DCM By Mr. Franklin Collins and Mr. Jesse Gambee

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In order to meet the high altitude, high gross weight (GW) mission, the MH-60M helicopter was re-engined to provide the horsepower necessary to meet the mission while remaining within current drive train limits to avoid additional costly upgrades. The highly successful MH-60M program allows for significantly improved payload delivery capability to high altitude areas, but that capability does not come without limitations as the MH-60M’s YT706GE-700 engines deliver the horsepower to “fill” the main transmission at high altitudes yet there may not be sufficient anti-torque capability when demanding high torque level, slow speed flight and hovering out of ground effect (HOGE). So why has this not been an issue for the existing fleet of Black Hawks? Directional control issues are normally not a major concern of the legacy H-60 for several reasons: the airframe has an internal max GW substantially less than the MH-60M; the T700 engines do not produce enough power to effectively operate at altitudes where directional control becomes a major issue; and the legacy H-60 does not routinely have the operational requirement to operate at high GW in high density altitude conditions. The UH-60L GW expansion program increased the tail rotor (TR) bias by 3 degrees to allow for greater high altitude performance two decades ago, and that UH-60L TR design now bookends the high altitude hover capability of growth aircraft. Not only is heavy GW hover affected, but the entire low airspeed operational regime is limited under high density altitude conditions. Safe employment of the MH-60M ARMY AVIATION Magazine

at high altitude, heavy GW conditions required tools to provide pilots with planning information to characterize the amount of directional control authority margin that they could expect for mission execution. This information is now conveyed to the pilots using Directional Control Margin (DCM) charts, see figure 1. During early training exercises it was noted that similarly configured aircraft experienced different TR responses than expected. Root cause investigation revealed that a primary TR rigging focus was to ensure correct TR pitch bias is established. The actual maximum TR angle was not checked as part of the rigging. Additionally, data provided by Redstone Test Center showed that aircraft meeting previous rigging standards can have final blade pitch angles that vary significantly between similar aircraft in a range between 17 and 22 degrees. Aircraft that were rigged at the high or low end of the variance would have significantly different directional control margins. Since the amount of TR pitch will directly affect the amount of TR thrust, and consistency between aircraft is essential for proper use of the DCM charts, the Technology Application Program Office’s Optimal Tail Rotor Rig (OTR) initiative reviewed the current rigging procedures to determine a method to provide consistent results to ensure safety and mission effectiveness when using DCM charts. An additional goal was to provide the pilot the most TR thrust possible. Significant effort went into determining the target TR blade rigging procedure that would provide the most TR blade pitch angle at 32

AMRDEC AED GRAPHIC

hile, flying into a high altitude landing zone (LZ) to deliver Warfighters to a mountain ridge, the Black Hawk transitions to a hover and begins to yaw to the right as the pilot finds no additional left pedal remaining. This scenario illustrates insufficient directional control authority.

Figure 1. Directional Control Margin (DCM) (representative)

full deflection to garner the highest potential directional control authority and remain within structural limits. The Aviation Engineering Directorate (AED) developed a rigging procedure that uses a digital protractor to establish consistent pitch angles. The use of the digital protractor rigging method allows all 4 blades to be set to the same angle and ensures that the resultant rig establishes a consistent DCM with the added benefit of improving TR blade track, reducing vibration. Performance testing was executed with the OTR to generate the data necessary to develop the final DCM charts. The new OTR procedure ensures aircraft-to-aircraft variation is minimized, and the planning tools remain applicable across the fleet. The combination of OTR and DCM charts provide the tools necessary to allow operators to maximize the MH-60M aircraft operational envelope and have high confidence when operating near the limits of the aircraft’s directional control capability. Mr. Franklin Collins is the lead engineer in development of the OTR; Mr. Jesse Gambee is the Special Operations Aircraft Division Chief supporting the Technology Applications Program Office (TAPO). Both work for the Aviation Engineering Directorate of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center and are located at Redstone Arsenal, AL. June 30, 2015

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ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

Ask the Flight Surgeon z

Insomnia and Fatigue By Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar

Q:

I’ve been having a hard time sleeping the past two months, and feel fatigued most days now. What can I do to get some decent sleep?

FS: Chronic insomnia affects approximately 10-15% of the U.S. population. It is defined as difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or non-restorative sleep for longer than one month resulting in impairment such as cognitive dysfunction and irritability. Advancing age, and medical conditions such as chronic pain, shortness of breath, heart conditions, polypharmacy, and low socio-economic status are considered risk factors. Mental health conditions can be both a cause of, and result from insomnia and chronic sleep deprivation in more severe cases. While depression can make it difficult to sleep, it can also be a result of insomnia, so we should not automatically assume depression to be the cause in all cases associated with depression. Sleep apnea can result in insomnia and chronic fatigue, but unless obesity, snoring, and witnessed apneic events causing wakening are seen, a sleep study is not routinely indicated to look for obstructive sleep apnea. Methods

Try to regularize sleep and wake times, avoid caffeine intake especially after noon, limit daytime napping, create a dark and quiet sleep environment, and avoid looking at the clock at night. These traditional behavioral techniques or sleep hygiene methods help in approximately 40% of cases. If unable to fall asleep or get back to sleep for more than an hour, try to get up and read, or do crossword puzzles or crafts for an hour or two until drowsy, and then return to bed. Before the advent of artificial lighting people commonly had a diurnal sleep pattern; Shakespearean literature refers to the first and second sleeps; both were of approximately three and a half to four hours ARMY AVIATION Magazine

in duration, and broken by a few hours of light outdoor work or indoor crafts. Avoid screen time before bed as much as possible, but if late night computer use is operationally necessary, try downloading f.lux for video screens. This program uses yellow light for the background illumination, and automatically adjusts screen light with the local time. The soft yellowred spectrum does not have the melatonin-suppressive effect that standard blue spectrum video screen light does, thus making it easier to fall asleep quickly and sleep longer for late night computer and video game aficionados.

Other Techniques

Sleep restriction can ironically be a powerful tool to reset the circadian rhythm and get back to a normal, restorative sleep pattern. Many people with insomnia spend too much time in bed simply tossing and turning. If only getting three or four hours’ sleep a night, try going to bed later than normal, and getting up earlier: go to bed at 11 PM and get up at 4 AM for example, and no napping the next day! Oftentimes, just one night of this is enough to get you sleeping soundly again. If not, gradually increase your sleep time 10-15 minutes on either end until sleeping your normal amount again. These cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques combined with sleep hygiene are effective 70% to 80% of the time, and they work regardless of the cause of insomnia.

Sleep Aids

Pharmacologic sleep aids such as Ambien (approved for use in flyers), the antidepressant medication trazodone, and benzodiazepines like alprazolam (not 34

approved for flight) can help for shortterm use, but should be considered a last resort, especially for personnel on flight status. They can, however be helpful in the short-term, particularly if there is a co-morbid condition such as depression or adjustment disorder, and are now being somewhat underused by many clinicians due to concerns over long-term adverse health effects such as an increase in sudden death rates with Ambien use. The human brain is essentially a massively parallel, electro-chemical, biological computer that cannot operate in the wake mode continuously. It needs time to rest, re-boot, rebuild, and heal with good sleep. Functional MRI studies show that the neurons in the brain physically contract about one third of their ordinary volume during the rapid eye movement and deeper dream states of sleep thus allowing an increase in cerebrospinal fluid flow over them that physically washes out toxic products of metabolism. Buildup of these toxins explains a lot of the cognitive decline seen in sleep deprivation, and over long periods of time can be a risk factor for dementia. Although this is true, and most people need seven or eight hours of sleep a night to maintain peak performance, most can also maintain reasonable function on as little as six for short periods of time up to a few weeks, and no untoward physical or mental health problems are likely to develop over the short term. Try some of these techniques if you’re having difficulty sleeping, and see your flight surgeon if the insomnia continues.

Question for the Flight Surgeon?

If you have a question you would like addressed, email it to AskFS@quad-a. org; we’ll try to address it in the future. See your unit flight surgeon for your personal health issues.The views and opinions offered are those of the author and researchers and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless otherwise stated Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar is a flight surgeon and the director of the Army Flight Surgeon Primary Course at the US Army School of Aviation Medicine at Fort Rucker, AL June 30, 2015

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June 30, 2015

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)

Support to the Global Special Operations Forces Network By COL Michael J. Hertzendorf and MAJ Roger P. Waleski

O

n any given day the Regiment’s professional aircrews, support staffs, and maintenance personnel, operate around the globe in austere and uncertain environments accomplishing a multitude of diverse Special Operations Forces (SOF) missions. These dynamic full spectrum SOF operations support the Global SOF “Network,” a U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) initiative to globally link SOF, the Interagency, Allies, and our DoD partners. Ranging from complex, long range, precision strike missions to operations in ambiguous environments supporting the full spectrum of special operations and unconventional warfare, missions include rotary wing assault, rotary wing attack, intelligence,

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as, Aviation Foreign Internal Defense (AvFID). These diverse, unique capabilities require not just ready platforms but, proficient, fit, disciplined, and motivated Soldiers and leaders who are relentlessly focused, and dedicated to supporting our Nation’s elite SOF (the Customer) and our National strategic objectives.

Preparing the Force

To support the Network, the 160th develops agile leaders who thrive and can win in today’s complex environment. The Regiment Leader Development Program requires commanders to incorporate personal and professional development training continually to all ranks within the formation. The intent 36

of the program is to improve professional skills, leadership skills, personal growth, and expand a Night Stalker’s knowledge base within the scope of current and future responsibilities. The Regiment also creates agile leaders by empowering our junior officers, warrant officers, and NCOs. It is common for young field grade and company grade officers to lead Special Operations Aviation (SOA) assets while supporting overseas Joint SOF training missions and exercises. These opportunities allow our junior leaders to manage risk outside of combat and make difficult operational decisions within the framework of the exercises. The combination of a disciplined leader development program coupled with real world practical experience allows June 30, 2015

SPECIAL FOCUS u Special Operations Aviation

cal support structure. This forces leaders to work with Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational ( JIIM) partners to synchronize mission enablers to execute SOA missions in austere environments. For example, in November 4/160th SOAR (A) executed a massive, multistate Joint exercise that included elements from the 75th Ranger Regiment, 522nd Special Operations Squadron, DIA Office of Technical Operations, and Marine Air Wing VMGR 352. This highly successful exercise increased interoperability throughout the USSOCOM enterprise while building viable relationships with our interagency partners.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO

COCOM Engagement

MH-60M Black Hawks assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) prepare to extract Marines from the Marine Special Operations Regiment (MARSOC).

our air mission commanders (AMC) and fully mission qualified (FMQ) aircrew members to make quick, prudent tactical decisions while gaining an appreciation of the larger complexities facing senior commanders and staffs. The Regiment routinely trains expeditionary operations, which require battalion staffs to plan and conduct long-range, complex missions in a setting without a well-established logistiARMY AVIATION Magazine

Preparing the force ensures the Regiment is ready to execute demanding missions throughout the Combatant Commands, especially in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) where U.S. SOF remain heavily engaged. In Afghanistan, the Regiment continues to provide precision rotary wing lift, fires, and ISR support to the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan (SOJTF-A), NATO-SOF, and Afghan Partner Units conducting combined security and counter terrorism operations. Together, these assets routinely conduct expeditionary assault operations throughout the country in remote locations. These operations continue to enhance the Regiment’s interoperability and interdependence with conventional U.S. Army and Afghan aviation units to meet the large lift requirements associated with combined SOF operations. The 160th maintains a forward ARSOA package to support CENTCOM requirements and last summer deployed this force into Iraq in response to the growing Da’ish (ISIS) threat. These crews currently support a vast array of SOF and CFLCC-I missions including mobility operations, quick reaction force (QRF) support, casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), and personal recovery (PR) contingencies. Here, the Regiment 37

is well suited to support coalition forces and the Interagency as aircrews have extensive experience conducting multiple diverse missions while operating in the complex JIIM environment. The Regiment also has the unique opportunity to participate in numerous combined SOF exercises within CENTCOM. This year, aircrews contributed to the multi-national exercise EAGER LION in Jordan and INVINCIBLE SENTRY in Kuwait. Together, these events remain invaluable in building partner nation capacity and improving combined SOF interoperability between allies, all in an effort to counter malevolent state and non-state actors in the region. In Pacific Command (PACOM), the 160th continues to expand its contributions to the world’s largest geographic combatant command. In FY 14, the Regiment supported five Joint Combined Exchange Training ( JCET) and Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS) exercises in four different countries. These events improved interoperability with our critical regional allies of Australia, Korea, and Thailand while furthering PACOM Theater Security Cooperation Plan objectives. These events provide the Regiment with amazing opportunities to train with theater Joint Special Operations Aviation Commands ( JSOACs) and PACOM regionally aligned SOF units including 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) and Naval Special Warfare Group – One. During this Fiscal Year, the Regiment will increase its presence in PACOM by conducting a planned 170 days of support during seven JCET and JCS exercises. Unit leaders are taking every opportunity to maximize training opportunities by combining multiple exercises over a single deployment. For example, in April 2015, aircrews supported BALANCE KNIFE and FOAL EAGLE in the Republic of Korea and then immediately pivoted to Thailand to support a JCET exercise. In Southern Command (SOUTHJune 30, 2015

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT CHRISTOPHER PROWS, 5TH MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DET.

COM), the Regiment supports periodic combined SOF exercises and aviation subject matter exchanges with regional partners. Over the past year, 3/160 supported JCETs in Peru and Guatemala and exercise FUSED RESPONSE in Honduras. The battalion’s enduring relationship with SOUTHCOM ensures that aircrew members are well versed in the region’s “Human Domain.” Consequently, 3/160th leads the ARSOA community in developing rotary wing aviation capacity with key regional allies to include Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador. The Regiment continues to explore opportunities to support the Network in Africa Command (AFRICOM). The continent is an exceptionally austere environment that makes enduring rotary wing operations and sustainment challenging. However, the 160th recognizes that growing threats from dangerous non-state actors such as Boko Haram, Da’ish (ISIS), and Al-Shabaab will necessitate SOA support in the future. Aircrews and staff from the unit participated in an extensive site survey within the AOR this winter. Over a two-week period, unit members deployed to Africa to get a first-hand look at forward operating bases (FOBs) and the operational environment.

Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen from Special Boat Team 12, stationed at Naval Base Coronado, CA, with the help of aviators from 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, conducted a Maritime External Air Transportation System (MEATS) training evolution in Moses Lake, WA. MEATS is a way to move a watercraft from a point on land or water to somewhere else using an Army MH-47G Chinook helicopter. The crewmen rig the boat to the helicopter as it hovers above, and then climb a rope ladder to board the helicopter before moving to the final destination, where they will slide down a rope to the boat before the helicopter disconnects the hoist cables.

Expanding the Aviation Foreign Internal Defense (AvFID) Mission Set

The 160th is playing an increasingly important role in the expanding AvFID mission set. To counter emerging

Following Congressional Notification and Approval by the Secretary of the Army to eliminate gender restrictions for positions within the command, the 160th began actively recruiting, assessing, selecting and training the most highly qualified applicants who meet the stringent standards required to serve in this elite unit and execute the Nation’s most complex missions. Currently, there are 28 women serving within the organization, from the HQ down to the line company, as aviators, crew chiefs, and other combat support and combat service support roles, and an additional 16 are undergoing initial training and qualification.

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threats, foreign nations require capable rotary wing aviation forces that can support their internal requirements. Consequently, the 160th stands ready to support U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command’s directed AvFID missions. Over the past year, the Regiment conducted eight AvFID missions throughout the globe. In CENTCOM, Regiment aircrews provided critical mission planning expertise and air to ground interoperability procedures to allies fighting Da’ish (ISIS) elements. Additionally, logistical experts helped the same partners in developing rapidly deployable FARPs to support forward rotary wing operations. Overall, these engagements enabled nations to conduct combat operations enabling their ability to counter local and regional threats. The 160th SOAR is also expanding its partnership program with enduring allies who have SOF aviation capabilities. The Regiment participated in key leader exchanges, with the United Kingdom’s 427th and 7th Squadrons, and will conduct interoperability training with them later this year. France’s 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (RHFS) also traveled to Fort Campbell, Kentucky to get a first-hand view of the Regiment’s mission planJune 30, 2015

ning process, training facilities, and recruiting program. Lastly, the 160th is pursuing pilot exchange programs in an effort to advance combined SOF rotary wing capabilities with countries such as Australia and Canada.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operations

The addition of E/2-160th SOAR (A) allows the Regiment to increase its support to the Network beyond traditional rotary wing operations. The company provides unparalleled armed ISR support through its arsenal of MQ-1Cs Gray Eagles flown by Night Stalkers familiar with SOF operations. The warrant officers and enlisted personnel who fly the Gray Eagles are 160th Green Platoon graduates who attend the Army’s MQ-1C Gray Eagle Qualification Course and the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) SOF Gray Eagle program. The MQ-1Cs have the capability to provide full mission video (FMV), fires, and collection via a synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Together, the highly trained personnel with an SOF mindset towards mission accomplishment fulfill a critical ISR gap throughout the Network. Currently, E/2-160th is forward deployed in two separate locations providing 24/7 coverage to U.S. SOF conducting advise and assist operations in the CENTCOM AOR. To date, the company has flown over 45,000 hours in both locations and conducted countless sorties to include numerous kinetic strikes against enemy targets.

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Conclusion

The 160th SOAR (A) is absolutely committed to supporting the Geographic Combatant Commander’s requirements and enabling the Network with precision rotary wing, ISR, and SOA expertise. The key to this support is not just training and modern ready platforms but the Regiment’s agile, professional, and disciplined Soldiers who remain our most precious asset, as they are devoted to supporting the Customer without fail.

COL Michael J. Hertzendorf is the commander of the 160th SOAR (A) headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and MAJ Roger P. Waleski is the Regiment S3. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

SPECIAL FOCUS u Special Operations Aviation

Life at the Bunkers –

Enlisted Green Platoon Combat Skills

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY 1SG MICHAEL NARVID

By CPT Lucas G. Harris

I

t is a Friday afternoon, and more than 60 students training to be members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR(A)) are standing in formation in front of two bunkers that date back to the 1940s. On one bunker hangs four placards dedicated to each of the individuals on Aircraft #185, an MH-60L that crashed in Afghanistan in January 2003. Between the two bunkers stands the original Night Stalker Memorial, which was dedicated in January 1990 shortly after the unit returned from combat operations in Panama. It serves as a solemn reminder of the high cost our soldiers and families pay for performing the nation’s most demanding missions. The memorial is inscribed with 94 names of Night Stalkers who have perished in combat or in training missions. Honoring those who, as Abraham Lincoln once said, have “borne the battle” is something all Night Stalkers are taught from day one. The students enthusiastically recite the Night Stalker Creed – as they do a multitude of times throughout the day. They stand firm in formation, knowing they’re about to get a couple of days off to recuperate their weary bodies. Or are they? “Black Shirts” – experienced veteran Night Stalker instructors approach from all directions and begin challenging the new students with additional tasks, designed to build their confidence and foster teamwork. Some students appear disoriented, asking themselves if service in the 160th SOAR(A) is right for them. They are beginning “Black Day,” a challenging team ARMY AVIATION Magazine

Left photo: SSG Maritza Gonzalez, Co. A, Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) and SGT Jared Hunter of Co. F, 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR(A)), pull a heavily weighted Gator utility vehicle moments before being awarded the coveted “Black Shirt” and officially becoming instructors for the Combat Skills course. SSG Gonzalez, a 32-year old mother, has served 12 years in the U.S. Army, and is the first female to become a Combat Skills Instructor. Right photo: Students from Enlisted Green Platoon Combat Skills carry loads of equipment including ammo cans and crates, rocket pods, sandbags, and manikins during a simulated downed aircraft recovery mission as part of “Black Day.” This grueling event is the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance for the students during the course and also serves as a great team building exercise that compels students to work together as a selfless and cohesive unit. By the event’s completion students will have more knowledge of what it takes to become a “Night Stalker.”

building event that every future enlisted Night Stalker experiences as part of their mission focused Green Platoon training. For the rest of the afternoon, and late into the evening, the students will complete a series of events that test their physical and mental limits. The new students are confronted with a simulated downed aircraft recovery mission, and a plethora of other combat oriented activities that sharpen decision making skills and promote teamwork. 40

June 30, 2015

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June 30, 2015

The Program

responder training is perhaps the most vital in the course. The skillset the students obtain could directly result in saving lives on the battlefield. The land navigation committee conducts a rigorous program of instruction that includes both academic and practical training. The students spend the first two days receiving classroom instruction on map reading, the compass, dead reckoning, plotting points, determining grid locations, terrain features, route planning, and Isolated Personnel Reports (ISOPREP). After academics, they take their skills to the woods and conduct terrain walks, dead reckoning, and group pin point training. The training culminates with the individual pin point, where each student must successfully locate four out of six points in five hours. The third course is combatives. Each student is trained using the Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP) and earns a Level I certification. They also learn submissions, standup fighting and knee strikes, Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT), and participate in a standard combatives competition. The most challenging event in the combatives committee is the “Clinch Drill.” To earn a Level I certification, each student must complete four successful clinches in accordance with the MACP. The fourth, and last, course in Combat Skills is weapons training. For many of the students, it is the most enjoyable of the four committees. For six days, experienced instructors provide each student advanced weapons training on the M4 rifle and M9 pistol. Each new student will fire 1,500-2,000 rounds becoming highly proficient with their individual shooting skills. They shoot both paper and steel targets and engage in a series of advanced shooting drills that develop their speed and accuracy, confidence in transition from pistol to rifle (or vice versa) shooting on the move, and shooting under duress. After the completion of all courses, the students spend several days cleaning equipment and gear and finishing a litany of administrative requirements to ensure they are ready to report to their respective 160th battalion. For those that have made it through, and are selected to graduate for service in a line battalion, the feeling is euphoric. Each of them has completed an arduous journey that has transformed them into a special operations warrior ready to serve the nation in a demanding and critical mission set. On graduation day, the room is filled to maximum capacity as families come from all over the country and Night Stalkers from the line units come to welcome their newest teammates. Each student is called up individually and is handed his or her maroon beret. They have their picture taken by proud family members. The ceremony concludes in the same fashion that every previous training day began and finished – with the reciting of the Night Stalker Creed. In unison, the students snap to the position of attention and offer a thunderous delivery of those iconic words. They are now officially Night Stalkers. They persevered, they were challenged and most importantly, they did not quit; because “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit!”

“Black Day” is simply one event that encompasses the initial entry training program for the 160th SOAR(A) known as Enlisted Green Platoon Combat Skills. The course is run by Alpha Company, Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) and it is where all aspiring Night Stalkers begin their careers. It is six weeks of fast-paced, well-resourced training that will serve them well the rest of their Army service. The training takes place on a remote compound in the deep woods of Ft. Campbell’s Old Clarksville Base (OCB), an area that was formerly used to house nuclear weapons from 1947-1965. It was the second nuclear weapons storage facility to begin active operations in the United States. While housing nuclear weapons, it was heavily guarded by U.S. Marines and earned the nickname, the “Birdcage,” because of its triple rows of barbed wire fencing. It was only fitting that the 160th SOAR(A) located its original compound at that location. Shortly after the creation of the 160th in 1981, a series of accidents spurred the establishment of a dedicated training program for all of the unit’s members. “Green Platoon” was born. Green Platoon has continuously evolved over time to become an effective SOF focused mission training program.

Combat Skills Training

Combat Skills consists of 30 training days that are typically 12-14 hours in duration. The training is an amalgamation of detailed specific academic training combined with application, as well as practical exercises. Even though each student must pass all of the events individually, the ability to perform as a team is stressed. The students rotate through four courses: medical first responder, land navigation, combatives, and weapons training. Aspiring Night Stalkers range in age from 18-45 and in rank from Private to Master Sergeant. Many arrive straight from their Advanced Individual Training (AIT), but some are seasoned veterans who come from legendary Army units like the 75th Ranger Regiment, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 82nd Airborne Division. The medical first responder training consists of medical training a level above the Army’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care (the former Combat Life Saver) course. The medical first responder training consists of five concentrated days of training. The students receive academic instruction and demonstration, followed with hands-on training. The topics for the first responder training include: massive bleeding, Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) packing, airways, tension pneumothorax, casualty evacuation, circulation and hypothermia. First

CPT Lucas G. Harris is the commander of Company A, Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) at Fort Campbell, KY. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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SPECIAL FOCUS u Special Operations Aviation

Preservation of the Night Stalker

U.S. ARMY PHOTOS BY SSG GAELEN LOWERS, 160TH SOAR (A) PUBLIC AFFAIRS

By MAJ Phillip Royer

F

ormer United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Commander Admiral William McRaven stated, “It is a moral imperative that we do all that we can to preserve the force and care for their families.” In an age of dwindling resources and continued demands on our Special Operations Forces (SOF), it is paramount that leaders make every effort to improve the resiliency of SOF warriors. This task is vital to the Regiment’s readiness of a more senior, highly experienced Night Stalker force. According to the Army’s Ready and Resilient Campaign, “resilient individuals are better able to bounce back and overcome adversity by leveraging mental and emotional skills and behavior by seeking out training.” In response to increased demands on SOF personnel, the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) developed a unique program to protect the training investment and enhance readiness called the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) initiative. POTFF is a holistic approach to meet the resiliency needs of SOF warriors and their families. The POTFF initiative encompasses several domains, three of which are: human performance, psychological performance, and spiritual performance. Using guidance from SOCOM, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR (A)) developed unit-specific programs that address the needs of Night Stalkers in each of these domains. Given the continuous training and operational demands on aircrews and support personnel, the goal is to improve resilience, reduce the incidence of injury or illness, and when injury and illness occurs, return the Night Stalker to duty as soon as possible.

Above left: SSG Baarin O’Neal, a 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment (Airborne) Soldier, uses the SwissSwing to loosen his calf muscle after his fitness program at the Tactical Human Optimization Rapid Rehabilitation Reconditioning Program (THOR-3) Center. Above right: Mike Bridges, Regiment Human Performance Coordinator, instructs SPC Jose Carrasco, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment (Airborne), on his rehab program at the Tactical Human Optimization Rapid Rehabilitation Reconditioning Program (THOR-3) Center.

goals of the THOR3 program are to decrease injury rates, improve return-to-duty timeframes, and optimize performance of SOF personnel. THOR3 is a multi-disciplinary program, including professionals from strength and conditioning, physical therapy, sports dietetics, and sports psychology fields. Prior to the inception of the THOR3 program, these positions did not exist in the 160th (with the exception of one active duty physical therapist). Previously, soldiers within the unit planned and executed all physical training, without proper training in program design. Injury prevention efforts were virtually non-existent and training quality was highly variable. Today, the 160th SOAR(A) THOR3 staff consists of highly trained strength coaches and physical therapists, with desires to add other disciplines in the next several months. Armed with advanced skill sets, extensive experience, and top-of-the line equipment, each member of the THOR3 team is well suited to meet the needs of our soldiers. It is truly a team approach, with each member collaborating on human performance goals. The THOR3 team offers services on a voluntary and individual basis, tailored to the needs and goals of each participant. Historically, the largest contributor to musculoskeletal injuries within the Army is the design of physical training programs.

Human Performance

Tactical Human Optimization, Rapid Rehabilitation, and Reconditioning (THOR3) is the U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s (USASOC) Human Performance program, which addresses the physical component of resilience. The primary ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

This is clearly a mitigatable risk factor and the THOR3 program decreases this risk substantially. Through group instruction, one-on-one coaching, and individualized programming, Night Stalkers are performing at a higher level with fewer injuries. Since the beginning of the THOR3 program at the 160th, only 1.6% of all physical training injuries have come from THOR3 participants. THOR3 staff members empower Night Stalkers to train more effectively and safely, both in garrison and overseas. As a result, unit readiness and morale has improved. The program has been a resounding success and the benefits easily outweigh the cost.

Psychological Performance

During the past 13-plus years of sustained combat operations, there has been growing concern and awareness regarding the psychological impact these operations have had on service members and their families. Behavioral health services aim to optimize cognitive and behavioral performance through increased resilience and reduced incidence of behavioral health concerns. The POTFF initiative implemented the psychological performance component as a bridging solution until each unit could apply a more permanent embedded behavioral health structure. Within 160th SOAR(A), POTFF allocated one psychologist and two social workers each at Fort Campbell, KY, Joint Base Lewis-McChord ( JBLM), WA, and Hunter Army Airfield (HAAF), GA. With the inception of the POTFF initiative, the 160th Regiment Psychology team improved a myriad of counseling and training services offered to Night Stalkers and family members. In addition to individual counseling sessions, the team provides training sessions on resiliency, suicide prevention, and drug and alcohol awareness. They also perform psychological assessments for each incoming soldier, ensuring they are prepared to handle the psychological challenges of the SOF lifestyle. Thanks to the POTFF initiative, the Regimental Psychology team has improved access to care, decreased wait times for appointments, and increased overall utilization of behavioral health services. Night Stalkers now have the added resources to manage the various stressors and perform in a very demanding environment.

Presence. This means that chaplains practice “battlefield circulation” and visit Night Stalkers wherever they are located – both in garrison and in deployed settings. Relationship Support: 160th chaplains offer marriage, premarital, and family counseling to prepare Night Stalker families for success at home and at work. They also provide training at Married Couples and Single Soldier Retreats. Spiritual Support: In addition to the various services offered by the Garrison Chaplain Office, the Regiment Religious Support Team also offers Night Stalker Scripture Studies and Night Stalker Family Prayer Groups and are inclusive to all faiths and denominations, tailored to ones’ own beliefs. Occasionally, they also offer spiritual fitness activities that aim to strengthen the soldier’s spirit. While chaplains do not have the ability to eliminate the stressors that bring pressure to the force and family, they contribute significantly to the well-being of the force. The 160th SOAR(A) has a strong community committed to its members and their families. The POTFF initiative provides added resources to assist the command in meeting the everincreasing demands on the Night Stalker family. Ultimately, these efforts improve unit readiness and preserve the force. “Resilience combines mental, emotional, and physical skills to generate optimal performance (i.e., readiness) – in combat, healing after injury, and in managing work and home life.” Understanding the current global and fiscal environment, the 160th SOAR(A) harnesses these POTFF resources to ensure the readiness of its most valuable resource – the Night Stalker. MAJ Phillip Royer is the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment’s Physical Therapist stationed at Fort Campbell, KY.

Spiritual Performance

General George C. Marshall recognized the importance of meeting the spiritual needs of soldiers when he said, “The soldier’s heart, the soldier’s spirit, the soldier’s soul, are everything. Unless the soldier’s soul sustains him, he cannot be relied on and will fail himself and his country in the end.” As a key component of POTFF, chaplains strengthen the souls of Night Stalkers and their families so that they can deal with the challenges of life in the SOF community. The voluntary Spiritual Performance Program works to enhance an individual’s core spiritual beliefs, values, awareness, relationships, and experiences. These elements form the basis for healthy living, sound decision-making, meaningful relational interaction, and sense of transcendent life purpose and meaning. These voluntary chaplain-led or chaplain-supported programs seek to meet these needs for service members and their families. These programs strengthen soldiers and their families in three main areas: Emotional Support: Most of the emotional support that chaplains offer soldiers and family members comes through personal counseling. Chaplains counsel Night Stalkers in a variety of areas, including spiritual questions, relationship decisions, stress management, financial planning, and parenting. Chaplains also provide emotional support through the Ministry of ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

SPECIAL FOCUS u Special Operations Aviation

Synchronizing

Green and Blue Suit Maintenance to Support Special Operations Aviation

U.S. ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION COMMAND PHOTO

By Mr. Steven Blasey, MSG Mathew Bickford, and Mr. Danny Kelley

T

he 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) (Airborne) has a reputation for innovation when it comes to pioneering aviation tactics, techniques and procedures for the Army Aviation community. Many of these new methods were forged during tough training and then tested in combat during the most extreme flying environments imaginable by the operators themselves. As the unit evolved, the Systems Integration Management Office (SIMO) was formed to better lead those developmental efforts and investigate new technologies, never losing the link with the flight line and the operators. A couple of years after the formation of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) (USASOAC), ARSOA leaders recognized a similar need for a new directorate of experienced and innovative maintainers, and formed the Aviation Maintenance Support Office (AMSO). This organization is tasked with providing logistics, sustainment, readiness analysis, and support for the command while reducing the workload burden at the unit level. Through increasing interaction with industry,

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

AMSO will optimize equipment and material sustainment practices, processes, and procedures pertaining to aviation maintenance and related ground support systems. The purpose of this article is to inform the Army Aviation community about an innovative project to increase the efficiency of contractor maintenance support for the 160th SOAR(A) and the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB). As the program matures, insights learned and “off-the-shelf ” technologies tested for utility might prove beneficial for other Army Aviation maintenance organizations, especially in a fiscally constrained environment where quality must be achieved at a lower cost.

The Plan

On May 2, 2014 the USASOAC approved a plan to consolidate a distributed workforce of aviation maintainers, field service representatives, engineering staff and logicians into a single maintenance facility. The AMSO vision is to create the premier special operations aviation maintenance facility by June 2016. This facility is supervised by five soldiers and supports

46

Above photo: Pass Back Maintenance Facility, Landgraf Hangar, Fort Campbell, KY, April 1, 2015.

aircraft maintenance work requests primarily from 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 160th and SOATB. The intent was to move from a firm, fixed, full time equivalent contract to a performance based, hybrid contract with a goal of providing better maintenance support for the organization for the same or lower cost. The date for the AMSO initial operating capability (IOC) was 1 December 2014 with a full operational capability (FOC) date of 1 April 2015. This contract bridging solution will enable the collection of data and the conduct of analysis on performance metrics to allow the AMSO the insight to properly define future performance metrics based on actual capacities, costing and skill set utilization. Ideally, future contracts will include decreasing turn-around times (TATs) for work orders to achieve a 99.99966% (Six Sigma) or nearly error-free level of work performed at the same or lower cost to the government. The first milestone was achieved in December 2014 when the hangar

June 30, 2015

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

opened and the first work orders started. In January 2015, after careful analysis of the overall project using a total quality management approach, the AMSO team formed an in-house Lean Six Sigma team and tasked them with managing the overall process improvement project. The initial goal was to better synchronize efforts by contractors and Soldiers to lean the facility, ensure compliance with Army maintenance regulations, and to never sacrifice quality. As of April 2015, over 1,000 work orders have been completed including three MH-47 Phases, three MH-60 Phases, and four MH-6 Phases along with numerous other scheduled and unscheduled maintenance actions. In addition, TATs are quality tracked and thus far are within standards, with a number of workaround solutions to make up for missing or inefficient processes. As the fidelity of collected data improves and process changes are implemented, achieving vision success is only a matter of time.

for maintenance bays (3xMH-47, 3xMH-60, 2xMH-6) and by creating a more efficient facility logistics process. Current maintenance technology solutions will be synchronized more effectively to improve accuracy of data. Subsequently, future designs will be developed, tested and then used to capture data in a manageable form starting from the beginning in order to analyze it to eventually reduce man hours. Under strategies, the five pillars or key focus areas for the overall process improvement project are categorized by Process Optimization, Data Visualization, Business Metrics, Technical Automated Solutions and Logistics Modernization. These pillars and processes drive the metrics used for data collection. By harnessing the data collected and making it accessible for analysis using technology solutions, the AMSO can make the appropriate changes and continue to drive toward the achievement of the overall stakeholder vision. Currently, people process metrics are broken down by the number of man hours per event and job position. In the future, once data is obtained and analyzed, the optimal skill set and number of employees will be determined. For logistics, the unit is tracking parts cost by work order, event, budget category, and tail number, along with appropriate parts inventory levels to evaluate the total cost of each type of event. This is necessary for AMSO to provide greater accuracy for sustainment cost predictions for programming purposes. Equipment utilization for tools, as well as hangar infrastructure will be tracked to determine whether the right type and quantity of tools are available. Other supply costs by type, quantity and parts inventory levels must also be tracked to achieve the appropriate parts inventories. For maintenance operations, work orders are tracked by time for task completion and by accuracy of work. Work stoppage causes are noted so that causal factors can be examined later for process changes. In addition, planned time per event versus actual time is also tracked along with reason for delay so that future efforts can improve the accuracy of predictions. This is important to the customer units so they can more effectively manage their fleet and flight schedules to support flight operations. In summary, the AMSO is well on its way to achieving the vision of having a world class premier Special Operations Aviation maintenance facility by June 2016. Already, numerous ideas for new technologies are being developed and integrated to create a facility where off-the-shelf technology will reduce man hours required for maintenance and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the maintenance support effort. AMSO, in support of our Night Stalkers, will continue to strive for improvements and demand quality results – once again proving the SOF axiom that people are more important than hardware and that Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.

Pass Back Facility Goals and Strategies

Using the Lean Six Sigma framework, the goals to achieve the vision are to reduce sustainment costs for the fleet, and reduce TATs to increase maintenance capacity to be able to generate more combat power. Nested under goals, the strategies are to reduce sustainment costs by implementing the lean six sigma process improvement techniques into the overall Pass Back Facility process and associated sub-processes to reduce waste. TATs will be reduced by incorporating the 5S model (sort, store, shine, standardize, sustain) approach

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Mr. Steven Blasey is the deputy director of the Aviation Maintenance Support Office of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command at Fort Campbell, KY; MSG Mathew Bickford is the Maintenance Production Director and Mr. Danny Kelley is the Business Analyst for the AMSO.

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June 30, 2015

BLUE BOOK Directory 2015

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49

June 30, 2015

SPECIAL FOCUS u MEDEVAC Proponency

MEDEVAC Update:

Lessons Learned for 2025 and Beyond

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY SGT DUNCAN BRENNAN

By COL Michael F. Breslin and Mr. Robert D. Mitchell

T

here is no question that the Army Air Ambulance fleet and its mission set have evolved into the best medical evacuation system with the most proficient aircrews in the world. This is due in large part to the management and synchronization between Army Aviation and the Army Medical Department. Numerous advancements are a direct result of more than 14 years of lessons learned in the Iraq and Afghanistan Theater of Operations. The Medical Evacuation Proponency Directorate (MEPD) at Fort Rucker, AL is aggressively coordinating multiple efforts across the full range of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) solutions in conjunction with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE), the Health Readiness Center of Excellence (HRCoE), and the Aeromedical Evacuation Enterprise. This article will adARMY AVIATION Magazine

dress key lessons learned and the Way Ahead for the MEDEVAC fleet 2025 and beyond.

Lessons Learned

One of the most significant lessons learned over these last 14 years of combat operations has been the requirement to revamp our flight medic training in treating complex battle injuries. These complex battle injuries involve multiple amputations, severe blood loss, and brain trauma. After careful analysis of numerous lessons learned, the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) made a decision in 2011, to revamp the legacy flight medic training to the Critical Care Nationally Registered Paramedic (CCNRP). The new CC-NRP training transitioned from a 4-week training program to a demanding and comprehensive 9-month training program, incorporating nationally registered standards that include 8-weeks of critical care training. 50

SGT Daniel Buzard of Petersburg, Alaska, reaches out to steady himself against U.S. Army SPC Mark Jordan of New Albany, MS, during medevac hoist training on Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, May 9.

Another key lesson learned from treating complex battle injuries was the requirement for blood product transfusions during the evacuation process. In 2012, Army MEDEVAC aircraft began utilizing packaged red blood cells (pRBC) and thawed plasma in theater for complex battle injuries. MEPD was a key contributor in the development of the theater “Vampire” Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) for treating severely wounded individuals requiring damage control resuscitation, which was instrumental in improving the patient’s chances for survival. June 30, 2015

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG), Combat Casualty Care-Lessons Learned from OEF and OIF

Another significant lesson learned involved modifications of the medical interior of the newest production model of the MEDEVAC aircraft, the HH-60M, for operations in Afghanistan. Since 2009, when the first HH60Ms arrived in country, commanders have had to overcome environmental challenges while balancing time sensitive mission execution in evacuating Urgent/Urgent Surgical patients to the first surgical intervention within one-hour (as directed by the Secretary of Defense). Commanders employed several options to include removing some (or all), of the medical interior (i.e., Patient Handling System (PHS), suction, Environmental Control System (ECS), Advanced Medical Oxygen Generating System (AMOGS). Carry-on substitutes were utilized in lieu of the removed equipment, but the current system needed to be reassessed for operational efficiencies. Medical advancements have played a significant role in improvements for battlefield survival, but the aircraft medical interior has remained relatively static with only interim improvements since the production of the UH60Q in the mid-nineties. The combined pre-hospital capabilities of the CC-NRP and the ECCN have created new challenges. One of the key deficiencies of the PHS in both the legacy MEDEVAC fleet and the new HH-60M is the lack of vertical space between litters in executing the essential enroute critical care tasks. The ARMY AVIATION Magazine

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY PFC MICHAEL SYNER

These advancements, to include the fielding and employment of Enroute Critical Care Nurses (ECCN) for postsurgical evacuations, have dramatically improved battlefield survivability rates: “Analysis of the Joint Theater Trauma Registry (JTTR) statistics and data from prior conflicts has demonstrated that hemorrhage is by far the leading cause of potentially preventable combatrelated deaths. The case fatality rate has decreased significantly since Vietnam, from 16.5 percent to 8.8 percent. The improvements in mortality are due not only to advancements in Combat Casualty Care (CCC), but improvements in body armor and rapid evacuation.” SPC Christian Hinrichsen, a flight medic with Company C “Mountain Dustoff,” 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, Task Force Falcon, and native of Clovis, N.M., treats an Afghan burn patient during a patient transfer flight July 11.

last time an official study was done for vertical and lateral clearance was more than 29 years ago and was based on ba basic level medical tasks performed by a 91W (EMT-Basic skill set) versus the 68W (CC-NRP skill set):

In 1986, the United States Army Aeromedical Research laboratory (USAARL) conducted a study to determine the vertical and lateral clearance required to perform basic medical procedures on board a UH-1 helicopter configured in a standard NATO configuration. The researchers determined that the minimum vertical and lateral separation required to achieve the required performance was 20 in. and 21 in. respectively. USAARL Report No. 2015-07, “Aeromedical Evacuation Enroute Critical Care Validation Study”

To address this aforementioned issue, the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) began a space study in 2013 that was eventually released in February 2015. This comprehensive report (Aeromedical Evacuation Enroute Critical Care Validation Study) re-validated the 21 inches lateral separation; however, the study dramatically increased the vertical separation from 20 inches to 28 inches. This additional 8 inches ensured that 93 percent of the 52

CC-NRP tasks could be completed to standard. Additionally, 100 percent of the tasks could be completed to standard if the vertical separation increased to 37 inches. Currently, none of the four air ambulance models (UH-60A/L, HH60L/M) can meet this requirement in a greater than a two-litter configuration. This issue and others provided the per perfect opportunity to thoroughly examine the entire MEDEVAC Mission Sys Systems (MMS) across the DOTMLP-F domains through a deliberate and vetted process, to ensure the platform of the fu future remained the best air ambulance in the world. In April 2014, MEPD established an Integrated Process Action Team (IPAT), comprised of Army Aviation and Joint medical subject matter ex experts, to begin work on a Department of Defense (DoD) MMS Capabilities Based Assessment (CBA). This collab collaborative effort would be the first docu documented update in decades and would be instrumental in re-establishing a baseline that predated formal Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System ( JCIDS) submission. The team’s overall goal was to address deficiencies with the current systems and identify capabilities that would allow un-interrupted access to the patient regardless of weather and environmental conditions to improve operational effectiveness and ultimately save more lives. Using ten different operational scenarios, the team identified the three June 30, 2015

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SPC Israel Figueroa, right, and SPC Christopher Jayne, both medics with Company C, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, prepare the inside of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for an unpartnered medical evacuation mission in support of a critically injured Afghan National Army soldier in Zabul province, Afghanistan Jan. 2, 2014.

most critical areas to accomplish our goals: (1) aircraft performance in extreme environmental conditions (high density altitude); (2) ability to execute our mission in limited visibility; and (3) improve onboard medical equipment so it is lightweight, modular, and commensurate with care provider’s skill level. It was clear to all involved that the current MEDEVAC platform has to be more modular, lightweight, and rapidly configurable to adapt to any operational support requirement in the future. Furthermore, it is imperative that MEDEVAC be able to support all weather operations in order to provide maximum flexibility to the ground commander in the accomplishment of their mission.

The Way Ahead

The way ahead will be defined by executing three major lines of effort, and they include: (1) Patient Handling System; (2) aircraft performance; and (3) all weather capability. The CBA validated the requirement for an improved PHS that is modular, lightweight, and rapidly reconfigurable. It must provide adequate space to conduct rapid, critical care interventions, unimpeded. Post-CBA efforts include the development of a Capability Development Document(s) (CDD), creation of an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) Study Plan, and the development of a Request For Information (RFI) to industry. The PHS and the Cabin Space Study will not only serve the legacy Black Hawk ARMY AVIATION Magazine

fleet for 2025 and beyond, but will serve to inform the Requirements IPT (RIPT) for Future Vertical Lift. In accordance with the Army Operating Concept, Army Aviation will leverage the advances in technology for vertical take-off and landing to include technologies that will maximize range, speed, payload, performance, and all-weather capabilities. In addressing aircraft performance and all-weather capability, MEPD is supporting the USAACE requirements process for the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the next generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), the Brown Out Rotorcraft Enhancement System (BORES), and Degraded Visual Environment (DVE). Clearly, those same technologies will benefit the MEDEVAC fleet, and most importantly, the patient. Special thanks go out to the entire CBA team and Project Manager, Utility Helicopter for sponsoring this important study. The outstanding product that this team put together will clearly set the conditions to move forward with a modular MMS that will be feasible, adaptable, and suitable for 2025 and ensures our platform of the future remains the best critical care air ambulance in the world. COL Michael F. Breslin is the director and Mr. Robert D. Mitchell is a senior analyst with the Medical Evacuation Proponency Directorate (MEPD) at Fort Rucker, AL. 53

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June 30, 2015

From the Field u

The Afghanistan Special Mission Wing

SMW SOAG PHOTO BY MAJ BEN TAGGERT, USMC

By COL Donald G. Fallin and CPT Lisa Becker

T

he Special Mission Wing (SMW) is Afghanistan’s only Aviation Special Mission unit and is the premier night vision goggle (NVG) helicopter assault force in South Asia. The Wing, built around a fleet of Mi-17v5 and PC-12NG aircraft, provides the country’s lone NVG air assault capability and its only intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform. Supporting both the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Ministry of Interior (MoI), the SMW is an enduring U.S. counter-narcotic and counterterrorism partner, with its wing headquarters and four squadrons providing operational reach in support of more than a dozen ARMY AVIATION Magazine

battalion-sized special operations and national mission units. With the end of combat operations in Afghanistan, Army Aviation’s footprint is shrinking dramatically. Kandahar Airfield, once a competitor for busiest one-runway airport in the world, holds empty parking ramps and soon may only bed Afghan aircraft. While U.S. aviation assets continue to disappear in Afghanistan, a handful of Army Aviators and joint-coalition partners remain to train and advise the Special Mission Wing.

Above: Afghan Security Forces provide perimeter security for a landing Special Mission Wing Mi-17.

The Genesis

SMW was built upon the work of British and American teams that assembled an experienced core of Mi-17 rotary wing pilots. Formally organized in 2006, the Kabul-based unit was originally the MoI’s air interdiction unit. As drawdown efforts in Afghanistan were announced, leaders quickly realized an increased requirement for 54

A Special Mission Wing PC-12NG Afghan crew during a recognition ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan June 30, 2015

Afghan air assault capabilities. In 2012, the unit reflagged as the SMW and its mandate expanded to support to all Afghan Special Security Forces units. In four years, SMW grew from a handful of crews to nearly 30 Afghan independent Mi-17 crews, all while continuously supporting combat operations.

contract support in areas such as maintenance, facilities, and force protection. Each SOAG member plays a vital role in the long-term progress of SMW. While the wing staff remains SOAG’s advisory focus, each SOAT focuses on developing processes for mission execution at the squadron

The Following AAAA Functional Awards Are Open For Nominations Now!

Afghan Security Forces provide perimeter security for a landing Special Mission Wing Mi-17.

The wing incorporated a PC-12NG program for ISR in 2014 and produced Afghan independent crews a year later. The expansion continues today.

Developing Capabilities

As crews and assets multiply, the Wing works unceasingly to build a sustainable unit. Many of the organization’s leaders are Afghan rotary wing pilots with decades of flying experience, and they face daunting tasks: executing mission command, developing a robust support structure, and integrating intelligence with operations. To help cultivate long-term growth in these areas, the SMW Special Operations Aviation Group (SOAG) and Special Operations Aviation Teams (SOATs) provide staff-level and tactical mentorship to the wing and subordinate squadrons. In light of the unit’s growing personnel demands, the SOAG J1 constantly advises the SMW G1 in revising the TASHKIL, the Afghan MTOE. The SMW G2 and his staff have recognized the importance of air intelligence and now follow an air intel curriculum developed in cooperation with SOAG J2 mentors. Across the hallway, the SOAG J4 mentor assists the SMW G4 in leveraging the nascent Afghan logistics system, providing critical material for SMW operations. With U.S. capital investment in the SMW already exceeding $1.3 billion, the SOAG Contracting Officer manages critical ARMY AVIATION Magazine

level. The Kabul-based SOAT mentors both the 1st and 2nd Squadrons, the most mature squadrons. The advisors focus on refining mission planning for independent Afghan missions that recapture district centers, seize caches of drugs, and provide aerial over-watch. Since the activation of 3rd Squadron in November 2014, the SOAT in Kandahar has provided Mi17 and PC-12 crewmember training. The 4th Squadron SOAT, based in Mazar-e-Sharif, is preparing to receive Afghan crews for missions in northern Afghanistan. All squadrons will attain fully operational status by 2016. As the SMW grows and the U.S. Army Aviation footprint fades away, the aviation advisors in the SOAG remain dedicated to the task at hand: training, advising, and assisting our partner force. With the help of these advisors, the SMW is building the capacity to fly, fix, and fight on its own. With over 2,000 hours flown already this year, Afghanistan’s security depends on SMW aviation more than ever.

Recognize the Hard Work of Your Fellow Army Aviators! AMSO Award ASE Award n Avionics Award n Donald F. Luce Depot Maintenance Artisan Award n

n

Suspense: July 1

Logistics Unit of the Year Award n Materiel Readiness Award for a Contribution by a Small Business or Organization n Materiel Readiness Award for a Contribution by an Individual Member of Industry n Materiel Readiness Award for a Contribution by a Major Contractor n Materiel Readiness Award for a Contributionby an Industry Team, Group, or Special Unit n UAS Soldier of the Year n UAS Unit of the Year n Fixed Wing Unit of the Year n

Suspense: August 1

n Air/Sea Rescue ATC Facility of the Year n ATC Company of the Year n ATC Technician of the Year n ATC Controller of the Year n ATC Manager of the Year n DUSTOFF Medic of the Year n Medicine Award n Trainer of the Year n

COL Donald G. Fallin is the commander of the Special Mission Wing – Special Operations Air Group and CPT Lisa Becker is the 3rd Special Mission Squadron J3, located in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Send in Your Nominations Today!

EDITOR’S NOTE: See more about CPT Becker in the Briefings section of this issue.

Nomination forms for all of the AAAA Awards are available at www.quad-a.org on the Awards web page. Telephone: (203) 268-2450

55

Suspense: September 1

June 30, 2015

From the Field u

Preserving the Legacy

21st CAV’s Knowledge Management Program

ALL PHOTOS FROM 21ST CAV ARCHIVES

By MAJ Christian P. Schleider

How many hours have you spent looking for an old unit SOP, OPORD, or training plan that you’ve used in years past and you can’t find? How many times have you struggled to remember a technique or tactic you successfully implemented during a previous deployment only to find that the procedures used to capture that information were lost or forgotten? Developing a Knowledge Management (KM) program within an organization is essential, but it’s a time consuming undertaking and often staffs are not properly trained or resourced to handle it. Just about every Army organization has struggled to keep pace with cataloging and archiving lessons learned. When you consider the OPTEMPO of Army units over the past 13 years and factor in multiple personnel and leadership changes, most units will have some sort of knowledge gap to contend with. This loss of information typically means that staffs often have to spend valuable time reinventing the wheel. Despite all its benefits, ARMY AVIATION Magazine

the information age has overwhelmed and inundated us with mountains of data. Additionally, technology advances so rapidly that it’s hard to know where to store information so that future generations can find it. Think of all of the different storage mediums you’ve used over the years: print outs, CDs, shared drives, hard drives, thumb drives, and now cloud storage.

Defining the Problem

The 21st Cavalry Brigade, which primarily trained units during the Unit Training and Fielding Program (UFTP), furls its flag in June of 2015. Over the past 30 years, the brigade has collected lessons learned from not just one unit, but from seventy-five different aviation units. How does one sort through all of this data, preserve the legacy of the units that participated in UFTP, and share valuable lessons learned with future generations of aviators? In order to develop a solution to our KM problem, 21st CAV identified three main challenges. First, we had to 56

21st CAV UH-1 conducting observer controller duties with an 8-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) AH-64D during Unit Fielding and Training Program (UFTP), February, 2011.

find a permanent online storage location that could handle large amounts of unclassified/For Official Use Only (FOUO) data. Second, the information had to be readily available to the force. Each topic covered should be searchable and found with only a few mouse clicks and minimal digging. Finally, we had to organize the information in a simple and user friendly way. We decided to address these challenges using two different web sites to help us share information with a larger audience. First, we determined that Army Knowledge Online (AKO) provided 21st CAV the best long term file storage system. We chose AKO for several reasons: just about everyone in the Army knows about AKO, it offers near-unlimited storage, and it handles June 30, 2015

FOUO content. Although AKO provided what we needed in terms of data storage and accessibility, it did have some shortcomings, in particular its limited search engine. That’s where milSuite comes in. MilSuite, one of the Army’s primary knowledge management solutions, includes a robust search capability that is much more user friendly than AKO’s. In order to hasten users to your site, create or update your unit’s milSuite pages and tag it with relevant key words. We linked each page we created for 21st CAV back to AKO which held the large repository of files. The end result was that a single search from milSuite would lead the user to 21st CAV’s AKO files with only a few mouse clicks. Finally, the unit created a series of user friendly documents known as training support packages (TSPs). The TSPs are essentially how-to guides that provide step by step instructions

to someone who is undertaking a large task such as fielding a new aircraft. The TSPs that 21st CAV developed include two unmanned aircraft system (UAS) fielding guides (the Gray Eagle and Full Spectrum CAB TSPs), a guide on how to conduct a UFTP, and a foreign security forces advisory training package. Each TSP walks the user through several training plans including individual training, collective training, and includes how to create a culminating training event. Even if you are not fielding a new piece of equipment, the TSPs might provide some insight on developing your unit’s training strategy.

What We Learned From the Process

As you work to make your unit a learning organization, work at imbedding KM into your unit’s culture. Include KM captures during the operations process. Discuss how you will store the lessons learned and best

Final flight of 21st Cavalry Brigade aircraft, July 21st, 2014

practices during after action reviews (AARs). Generate a KM how-to guide that helps subordinates share their hard lessons learned. Finally, designate a unit editor or a panel to review and approve new information on the unit’s KM site. The authors of ADRP 6-0 (Mission Command) changed FM 6-0 to include KM as a core staff function. They realized that effectively managing knowledge is imperative as our Army faces rapidly changing operational environments. As senior leaders we must impart to our junior leaders that the lessons they learn and the TTPs that they develop may eventually become doctrine. When we depart our units, each one of us takes useful files and information and adds it to our own personal “kitbag.” What you put into your kitbag probably should also go into the organization’s knowledge management center. Change your mindset from “Hey, this is a great product, I’m stealing this” to “Hey, this is a great product, I’m sharing this!” Visit the 21st CAV knowledge management center at https://www. us.army.mil/suite/files/43665996 or through milSuite at https://www. milsuite.mil/wiki/21st_Cavalry_Brigade. MAJ Christian P. Schleider is the assistant brigade operations officer and the knowledge management project lead for the 21st Cavalry Brigade, Fort Hood, TX.

Left: 1-211th ARB from the Utah Army National Guard conducts maintenance on an AH-64D during UFTP, March, 2012.

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

From the Archives u Reprinted from the December 1992 Edition

ARMY AVIATION Magazine ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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AAAA Scholarship Foundation

COL (Ret.) Mike Freeman

z

Cleared For Take-Off Newly Elected AAAASFI Board By COL (Ret.) Michael E. Freeman

AAPI PHOTO BY RENE BIDEZ

COL (Ret.) Harry Townsend makes a donation on behalf of the Cub Club during the Scholarship & Museum Donation Luncheon. Pictured are (l to r), Scholarship Foundation President COL (Ret.) Mike Freeman, Past President Mrs. Connie Hansen, BG (Ret.) Mike Flowers, and Executive Director Bill Harris.

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uring the March 2015 Army Aviation Association of America Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (AAAASFI) Board of Governors meeting at the 2015 AAAA Summit, the body elected new Governors and officers.

As the Board of Governors newly elected President, I must say that I am humbled and honored to be elected to serve in this important position. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with a group of outstanding people that have made significant contributions in uniform and/or in the private sector while helping service members and their families. I would be remiss if I did not recognize our immediate past president, Mrs. Connie Hansen, and thank her for providing outstanding leadership and focus during the last two years – thank you for a job well done. Your AAAA Board of Governors elected the following officers: President, COL (Ret.) Michael E. Freeman; Vice President, BG (Ret.) Thomas J. Konitzer; Secretary, COL (Ret.) Louis A. Bonham; and Treasurer, BG (Ret.) Michael C. Flowers. Your AAAASFI Executive Committee consists of the four aforementioned officers, the AAAA Executive Director, Bill Harris (non-voting), and the standing committee chairs who are: Financial Audit Committee, BG (Ret.) Michael ARMY AVIATION Magazine

C. Flowers; Fundraising Committee, COL (Ret.) Stanford Oliver; Nominating Committee, Mrs. Connie Hansen; Policy Committee, COL (Ret.) John A. Lasch, III; and Publicity Committee, COL (Ret.) Michelle F. Yarborough. I have also appointed BG (Ret.) Harry Bendorf as Parliamentarian. As you are aware, this organization’s success is based completely on the volunteer efforts of its members. I am appreciative that the above named individuals have accepted the positions indicated and I am also indebted for the efforts of those members that I have not named – this truly requires a team effort. The 2015 Summit was very successful with over 7,000 attendees and 275 exhibitors participating. The AAAA Scholarship was created in 1963 to secure contributions to fund college entrance level scholarships for children of AAAA members and deceased members. As the Scholarship program grew in both capitalization and diversity of scholarships we have been able to assist more service members, spouses and relatives of members. As a direct result of the 60

2014 donations, the board was able to award $427,000 to 263 applicants and is looking forward to continuing this fine tradition and increasing the number of recipients. Scholarship related information can be found at http://www.quad-a. org/index.php/scholarships. The Scholarship Luncheon was back this year giving us the opportunity to publicly thank some of our many supporters. I would like to thank the thirty plus donors that participated in the Scholarship Luncheon. Together, they gave a total of $44,500. Anyone making a donation of $1,000.00 or more will be recognized at the luncheon. Keep in mind, all donations are appreciated and are used exclusively to fund scholarships. In closing, the board is hopeful for greater participation by AAAA chapter officers at our Scholarship Board meetings. You represent your members from active duty, Reserve, National Guard to Industry, veterans, retired, and civilian communities. Show up and let us know how the Scholarship Foundation can better serve the needs of your members. We will be reaching out to past recipients of scholarships to allow them to share how the scholarships they received made a difference in their academic pursuits. Please feel free to reach out to me or any of the board members to participate, make a donation or to just share your thoughts. The board is always open to ideas of how we can better serve our members, increase participation and increase membership. Look for upcoming articles from the AAAASFI Committee Chairs. COL (Ret.) Michael E. Freeman President, AAASFI June 30, 2015

AAAA Scholarship Foundation NETWORK

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Thank You to Our Scholarship Fund Donors

AAAA recognizes the generosity of the following individuals, chapters and organizations that have donated to the Scholarship Foundation in the last 90 days through May 31 2015. The list includes donations received for all scholarships, as well as the General Fund which provides funding to enable the chapter, corporate, heritage and individual matching fund programs as well as national grants and loans. Donors marked with an * are partially or totally donating to the newly established Families of the Fallen Scholarship. Every penny donated to the Scholarship Foundation goes directly to a grant or loan as a result of the Army Aviation Association of America subsidizing ALL administrative costs!

BG (R) Lou Abbenante Sidney W. Achee Airbus Group, Inc. Aloha AAAA Chapter * Ameripack, Inc. Richard Anderson MG (R) Ronald K. Andreson Army Aviation Center FCU WT & DR Atchley AugustaWestland N.A., Inc. * LTC (R) James R. Barkley, Sr. Luciana Barlett The Benevity Community Impact Fund MG (R) Joseph & Helen Bergantz Frank & Katja Black CW5 John J. Blank, Jr. Bonham Technologies, Inc. Brett & Diane Bonnell * LTC Glenn P. Carr Philippe & Erin Catoire Michael & Carrie Cavalier MAJ Thomas Tim Chapman, MD Frank L. Collazo SGT R. Joseph Cox The Cub Club

Jesse J. Drake LTC (R) Joe Emerson Empire AAAA Chapter CW2 John L. Enticknap Europe Firearms Importer, LLC Brandon J. Files Daniel N. Fousse LTC Paul Gautron Leslie Gilbert Dr. Hilton Goldstein Ellis Golson Shawn Gorham G. & L. Good Jon R. Greenhaw Griffin AAAA Chapter Susan Guerrant * Thomas H.& Tommie A. Harding BG (Ret.) James M. & Joyce L. Hesson Kathleen Howard Idaho Snake River AAAA Chapter Iron Mike AAAA Chapter JACS Aircraft Certification Specialists Gary D. Jerauld William A. & Andrea J. Johns

LTG (R) Anthony & Nancy Jones Kenneth Jones John Keane David & Donna Keating Jason Y. Kim Korean War Veterans Assoc. * LTC & Mrs. Tim Kraatz COL (R) Hal Kushner, MD Edward l. Landry Macy’s Bloomingdale’s R.T. & K.E. McGuire * MG (R) Carl H. & Jo Ann W. McNair, Jr. Jeremiah F. McNamara Thomas F. & Ann V. McNamara Millennium Systems Services, Inc. Munsch & Co. Aeromechanics Nammo Talley, Inc. * CW4 (R) Michael R. Nowicki Kevin O’Brien MG (R) Virgil L. Packett II COL (R) Derek & Kathleen Paquette Peduzzi Associates, LTD Pinnacle Solutions, Inc. Joseph L. Podolinsky

Radiance Technologies, Inc. Diana B. Radspinner Raytheon Karl F. Reinhart Robertson Fuel Systems Rockwell Collins CSM Glenn A. Rodney Safran Perry & Nancy Schmidt Mike J. Sleet Timothy C. Small Dennis J. Sorensen Evelyn A. Soucek Albert H. Stiller System Studies & Simulation, Inc. * TJK Konsulting Tennessee Valley AAAA Chapter Thunderbird AAAA Chapter COL (R) Harry & Diana Townsend Edward B. Trexler Jeaneen Trowell URS Victory Solutions, Inc. Volunteer AAAA Chapter Robert Walczak Luis Z. Zamudio

For more information about the Foundation or to make a contribution, go online to www.quad-a.org Contributions can also be mailed to: AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc., 593 Main Street, Monroe, CT 06468.

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Chapter Affairs

LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk

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I appreciate the support from LTC Garret Messner and CPT Brett Chereskin, the Eagle Chapter President and Vice President for providing and sharing this information to our membership.

Embry Riddle Eagle Chapter Out of the Ashes

By LTC (Ret.) Jan S. Drabczuk

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Unlike most other chapters, the Eagle Chapter is composed mainly of Army ROTC cadets attending the Daytona Beach Campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In previous years, the board and general membership were primarily composed of aviation branched cadets or cadets still competing to become aviators. The transient nature of graduating cadets serving in the leadership roles meant chapter continuity was the most difficult obstacle to forming a strong chapter. In January 2015, two new aviation officers arrived at Embry Riddle to serve as cadre for the ROTC program. With three aviators on staff at Embry-Riddle, including the professor of military science (PMS), the Chapter is now poised for a resurgence. The relatively large number of aviation officers available to support the local AAAA chapter is causing the tide to start rising for the Eagle Chapter. All three aviators volunteered to become board members; LTC Garret Messner is serving as the President, CPT Brett Chereskin as the Senior Vice President, and CPT Christian Kennerly as the Treasurer. Now that the board is stable, chapter policies, procedures and their long term mission have been established. The first issue that board tackled was how to pull the Eagle Chapter out of the ashes and turn it into a small active chapter. The Benefits of Chapter Mentorship One of the first steps the chapter leadership took was to reach out to ARMY AVIATION Magazine

EMBRY RIDDLE EAGLE CHAPTER COURTESY PHOTO

or some smaller AAAA chapters, continuity and participation ebbs and flows like the tides. For the past two years, the Eagle Chapter has been at low tide.

AAAA National VP for Membership, CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper, addresses attendees at the annual Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) military ball at the Daytona Beach, FL campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on April 10, 2015.

the closest chapter in the area and ask for help. For the Eagle Chapter, the closest and largest chapter in the area is the Central Florida Chapter. LTC Messner and CPT Chereskin traveled to Orlando for the Central Florida Chapter’s December 2014 board meeting to learn how they organize their events and run effective board meetings. Not only was it a great education process, but the relationships built during that meeting turned out to be the building blocks of an informal mentorship program that is still ongoing. The Central Florida Chapter President, Michael Garretson, has provided insight and leadership to both Eagle Chapter officers over the past 6 months. Most recently, Michael met up with Brett at the annual AAAA Summit and helped him make connections with members of the national executive board. The informal mentorship program between Embry Riddle and Central Florida was also highlighted during the chapter presidents meeting that took place on the last day of the Summit. The idea of encouraging larger chapters to link up with struggling small chapters to provide mentorship may become commonplace for AAAA in the future. 62

A Visit from the National Executive Board In order to stimulate membership, the Embry Riddle Eagle Chapter board requested CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper, National VP, Membership, be their honored guest at their annual ROTC military ball. Dave attended the event and gave a motivating speech to over 190 ROTC cadets. With Embry Riddle’s focus on all things aviation, there is a good probability that he was addressing a large number of our future aviators and AAAA members. Summary AAAA has a small chapter that is trying to rebuild after a long period of dormancy. With proper attention and care, the Embry Riddle Eagle Chapter should double its membership over the next two years. I wish them luck in their endeavors and thank the Central Florida Chapter for the mentorship they have provided over the past 6 months! Feel free to contact me if you need help for your chapter, Executive Board support, or to obtain clarification of National procedures. I look forward to working with you and supporting AAAA. LTC (Ret.) Jan S. Drabczuk AAAA VP for Chapter Affairs [email protected] June 30, 2015

AAAA Chapter News NETWORK

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Central Florida Chapter

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Order of St. Michael Awards

Southern California Chapter

PHOTO BY MR. ERIC WEAVER, EXEC. DIR., HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF LEBANON COUNTY, PA

Keystone Chapter

Members of the Keystone Chapter, based in Fort Indiantown Gap, PA, volunteered to support a local Habitat for Humanity home restoration in Lebanon, PA, May 8, 2015. (l to r) CPT Aaron Lippy, MAJ Pete Peters, CPT Nate Smith, SFC Matthew Stohrer, CW5 Dale Yoder, WOC Nick Davis, CPT Nick Branoff, COL (Ret.) Larie Wilson and CW4 Jimmy McElhaney.

CHAPTER PHOTO BY CPT CHRISTOPHER D. QUINLAN

CHAPTER PHOTO BY TANYA PHAM

Mid-Atlantic Chapter

CHAPTER COURTESY PHOTO

Winged Warrior Chapter

AAPI PHOTO BY JENNIFER CHITTEM

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

Thunder Mountain Chapter

Chapter President, CW5 (Ret.) Luis Zamudio, addresses attendees at the Thunder Mountain Chapter dinner and awards barbecue at Fort Huachuca, AZ on April 16. Chapter members celebrated the 2nd Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment’s receiving the AAAA Robert M Leich Award the previous month at the 2015 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Nashville, TN.

North Texas Chapter

North Texas Chapter officers Ms. Clare McGarrey, Secretary, and LTC (Ret.) Terry Reininger, VP Scholarships, worked the AAAA display during the Women In Aviation (WAI) Conference at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX, March 5-7.

CW4 Jennifer L. Stubbs, safety officer for the 1st Bn., 222nd Avn. Regt., 128th Avn. Bde., is inducted into the Bronze Honorable Order of St. Michael, by brigade commander COL Julius R. Rigole, during an April 29 ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA. Stubbs was recognized for her more than 15 years of selfless Aviation service, to include being designated the FY 14 TRADOC Safety Officer of the Year. Pictured are (l to r) VP Membership, LTC Christopher M. Stallings; Rigole; Stubbs; brigade command chief warrant officer, CW5 Flor D. Armendariz; and chapter president, Mr. Mark S. Jones.

Chapter members and participants pause for the Kodak moment at the chapter golf tournament held March 27 at Comayagua Golf Club, Comayagua, Honduras. Held annually, the tournament is used as a recruiting drive for both new and expired members. 63

CHAPTER PHOTO BY SSG WILLIAMS

Central Florida Chapter VP Scholarships, MAJ (Ret.) Don Smith, greets visitors to the AAAA display during the Helicopter Association International (HAI) Heli-Expo, March 2-5, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

The Southern California Chapter co-sponsored a hail and farewell reception at the Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos, CA, following a change of command ceremony for the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, CAARNG, on February 27, 2015. Incoming commander, COL and Mrs. Jeffrey Holliday (center), are welcomed by (l to r) CSM Ron Cabrera, Chapter VP Enlisted, LTC (Ret.) John Hendrickson, President, and CW4 (Ret.) Sven Akesson, chapter member and president of the Southern California Chapter Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association.

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AAPI PHOTO BY JENNIFER CHITTEM

Colonial Virginia Chapter

Chapter Senior Vice President, COL (Ret.) Dave Carey (left) inducts SFC (Ret.) David Deemer, the Unit Level Logistics System-Army (ULLS-A) manager for the Army Aviation Support Facility of the Maryland Army National Guard, into the Bronze Honorable Order of St. Michael on April 15 as facility commander, LTC W. Carey Hummer observes. Deemer was recognized on the occasion of his change of duty for the implementation and management of the ULLS-A system from 1995 to the present. OSMs continued on next page

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Chapter News I z

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Order of St. Michael and Our Lady of Loreto Awards

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Morning Calm Chapter

MAJ Sofinowski

MAJ Unsworth

CW5 (Ret.) Rennie SGM (Ret.) Frankowski

Six Mid-Atlantic Chapter members were inducted into the Bronze Honorable Order of St. Michael during a “Final Friday” chapter meeting and social at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD Sept. 27, 2014 by chapter president, COL (Ret.) John Gallagher; COL (Ret.) Dave Carey, Sr. VP.; and LTC (Ret.) Glenn Monrad, VP Membership. Each was recognized for their outstanding support to Army Aviation while deployed with the 29th Cbt. Avn. Bde. during Operation New Dawn. MAJ Peter Goff served as the S2 and is currently a support contractor; MAJ Carl Muller served as the S4 and is currently the XO for the Aviation Depot Maintenance Roundout Unit (ADMRU); MAJ Michael Sofinowski served as the S-6 and is currently the MDARNG S6; MAJ Jeffery Unsworth served as the S-1 and now serves as Dep. G3, Camp Fretterd, MD; CW5 (Ret.) John J. Rennie served as the Avn. Maint. Off. and retired with more than 35 years of service; and SGM (Ret.) Edward C. Frankowski served as the operations sergeant major and also retired with over 35 years of service.

CW5 Peter Rondeau and MAJ Terrence Smith, both assigned to the G-3 Aviation Division of Eighth Army are inducted into the Bronze Honorable Order of St. Michael by COL B. Tom McCutchen, Aviation Division Chief, at Eighth Army headquarters on U.S. Army Garrion-Yongsan, Seoul, Korea on May 4. Pictured are members of the G-3 Aviation staff: 1st row left to right – McCutchen, LTC Taylor, Rondeau, Smith, and MSG Collum. Second row left to right – SSG Henderson, SFC Saenz-Martinez, SFC Nies, MAJ Minckler, CW5 Korecky, CW2 Ly, Mr. Irwin, and SFC Bolin.

New Chapter Officers Cedar Rapids Chapter Secretary, Kelley Kirtz VP Membership, Duane Grave CHAPTER COURTESY PHOTO

MAJ Muller

ALL CHAPTER PHOTOS BY MRS. ALLISON HASH

MAJ Goff

CHAPTER PHOTO BY MR. DUANE AYERS

Mid-Atlantic Chapter

COL B. Tom McCutchen, chief of the Eighth Army Aviation Division, is inducted into the Silver Honorable Order of St. Michael during a hail and farewell on April 17 at the U.S. Army GarrisonYongsan, Seoul, Korea by LTC Kevin Tyler, G-3 Avn. Plans/Ops Officer.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

North Texas Chapter Treasurer, Steve Mathias VP Industry Relations, Dave Downey VP Membership, Bill Gavora

Thunder Mountain Chapter

Want to change your AAAA chapter affiliation?

Narragansett Bay Chapter

CW4 Thomas M. McNulty, an instructor pilot with Co. F, 1st Bn., 126th Avn. Regt., was inducted into the Bronze Honorable Order of St. Michael on April 13 in Braintree, MA by chapter president, LTC Andrew Chevalier, and COL Chris Callahan, commander of 56th Troop Command. He was recognized for his more than 30 years of outstanding Aviation service including deployments in support of Operation Desert Storm, Bosnia, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. McNulty was terminally ill at the time of the induction and passed the following day. May he rest in peace.

Mount Rainier Chapter VP Awards, CPT Dustin Roark

Thunder Mountain Chapter President, CW5 (Ret.) Luis Zamudio congratulates Mr. Jerry V. Proctor, deputy to the commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca, and his wife, Jana Proctor, on their induction into the Silver Honorable Order of St. Michael and the Honorable Order of Our Lady of Loreto, respectively. The inductions were conducted by LTC Clinton Conzemius, 2nd Bn., 13th Avn. Regt. Commander, during an April 16 ceremony at the Windemere Hotel in Sierra Vista, AZ. Proctor was recognized for his more than 38 years of Army service, over 26 in uniform and eleven plus years in the Senior Executive Service. They are retiring in the local area. 64

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Awards NETWORK

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COL Ted A. Crozier, Ret. Thomas M. Harrison LTG Raymond P. Palumbo

Silver

LTC John D. Stahl CW5 Michael G. Champion COL John C. White COL Berrien T. McCutchen Jr. CW5 Tab Burnett CW4 David R. Draper COL Thomas H. Todd CW5 Jeffrey S. Luikart CW5 Stacy L. Owens CW5 Robert S. Jackson CW5 Michael L. Lewis Jr. B. Keith Roberson COL Ernest F. Estes, Ret. LTC Daniel Clark, Ret. COL Julius A. Rigole CSM Stephen Tillman CW5 Dimas Deleon SGM Jesus Ruiz CSM Patrick Blair COL Ian B. Klinkhammer Jerry V. Proctor CW5 Reuben Rivera CW5 Thomas A. Castagna COL Jimmy F. Blackmon

RECOGNITION

CSM Ronald W. Dvosrky Jr. CW5 Kevin P. Dares COL Christopher Albus BG Troy D. Kok LTC Todd R. Kishpaugh COL Stephen F. Logan COL Michael J. Musiol CW5 James E. O’Gorman CSM Scott Bailey MG Jeffrey N. Colt LTC David C. Phillips COL Morgan M. Lamb CW5 Thomas R. Walton

Bronze

CPT Lincoln Lanier COL James B. Stephenson COL James O. Posey COL Charles W. Durr Jr. LTC Guy D. Bass Dave Eck SFC Benjamin Garcia CW3 Justin Crow CW3 Jeffrey Dorsey LTC Nick Kioutas MAJ Sean M. Kenney BG Michael L. Seely, Ret. LTC Glenn P. Carr, Ret. CW4 Trevell L. Wiggins CW5 Gary K. Button MAJ Tyler Partridge 1SG Jackie Mills LTC Michael Bean MAJ Gabriel Wolfe MAJ Aaron Morris

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MAJ Christian Mariani LTC G. Patrick Schuck LTC Jason Miller Jeffrey Miracle CSM James D. Wilson CW4 James W. Nelson 1SG Jonathan D. Gibson MAJ Ralph L. Becki P.J. Young 1SG Gary Williard SSG Ron Shoemaker CW4 Steve Harper CW3 Jason Huntley CPT Jason Lehr MAJ Michael Girvin MSG Ann Zetti LTC Kelvin Christensen CSM Steven Hartmann CW3 Griffin Hoover MAJ Kevin E. Ryan MAJ Morgan H. Laird MAJ Clay J. Livingston COL Lawrence B. Connell MAJ Eric J. Witty 1SG Michael B. Isom CW4 Phillip T. Askins MAJ Aaron E. Heath CSM Javier Torres CW4 Michael E. Kadar CW3 Robert E. Zeller CW2 Charles A. Barrier, Sr. CW2 Bernie K. Buczko SFC Patrick K. Donovan CPT Stephanie A. Hartley 1SG Jesus Jimenez 1SG Jose M. Lopez-Olivera CW4 Michael S. Maj CPT John Mayer CW3 Joshua McCann CPT Michael M. Nguyen CW3 Christopher W. Shipman 1SG John S. Smith CW3 Matthew L. Vaccaro SFC Clinton Bruce CW4 Timothy Slifko CW4 Shawn Woodman SFC Jason Stacey

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CW3 Marc Scoville MAJ Stephen Smith CW5 Michael Hardy SFC Byron M. Brown MAJ Eric T. Phillips MAJ Ashley S. Bloom

Tonya Dower Shelly Hansen Marina Ginos Beverly Marshall

Soldier of the Month SSG Sarah M. Snider Flint Hills Chapter February 2015 CPL Chelsea L. Caudle Flint Hills Chapter March 2015

New Order of Honorable Knight of St. Michael Recipients LTG Patricia E. McQuistion Deborah Seimer CW5 Milton L. Brayboy CW2 Daniel Peoples COL Matthew Riordan MAJ Andrew E. Fulton CPT Jorge DelToro MAJ Jonathan R. Peifer SFC Audrey L. Ramos CPT Agnes D. Kirkman-Bey

SGT Kaleb Smart Mid-Atlantic Chapter February 2015 SPC Malcolm Missegray Mid-Atlantic February 2015 1LT Jessica L. Clarke Oregon Trail Chapter March 2015 SGT Kelsey R. Johnson Oregon Trail ChaPTER April 2015

NCO of the Month SSG Todd Toland Empire Chapter March 2015

New Our Lady of Loreto Recipients Jana Proctor Sheila J. Hardin Jennifer Morris Laura Kitchens

SGT Benjamin J. Farneman Flint Hills CHapter April 2015

AAAA

• Netowrk • Recognition • Voice • Support

Recognize the Hard Work of Your Fellow Army Aviators Check out the Awards that are available through AAAA: • National Awards • Functional Awards • Membership Awards • West Point Cadet of the Year Award •ROTC Cadet of the Year Award • Distinguished Graduate Awards • Order of Saint Michael Program • Honorable Knight of St. Michael • Order of Our Lady of Loreto Program Visit the Awards site at quad-a.org for complete nomination information today!

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Membership

CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper

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The Membership Corner

CONSOLIDATED INDUSTRIES COURTESY PHOTO

By CW5 (Ret.) David F. Cooper

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he Army Aviation Association of America is proud to introduce our newest industry partner: Consolidated Industries. This author had the privilege of talking with Consolidated Industries Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Marc Fortin. More about him later…

Mr. Marc Fortin (center in white shirt), Director of Sales an dMarketings, and Mr. Drew Pain, VP and General Manager (right of Fortin) stand with the Consolidated Industries team at the company headquarters in Chesire, CT.

Consolidated Industries has been in business for 60 years in their Chesire, Connecticut plant where they employ 95 workers. “This privately held company supports the United States by supplying forged products for the manufacture of defense products, primarily aircraft,” Marc said. “But it’s our people that make this company special.” While the company is a huge supporter of the local United Way, Marc wanted to single out a couple of employees for their individual contributions. Besides being the accounting manager, Ms. Tanya Rivera coordinates the company’s donations to the Cheshire Food Drive. The drive distributes more than 700 food vouchers to those in need. Mr. Adam Wood is a sales associate and volunteers for Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America. Consolidated Industries is an integral supply chain partner for forged

ing to the customer’s specifications. Their customer base is Tier3 suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). Marc said, “The employees know very well that the forgings they manufacture are critical to mission success and they have a vested interest in the warfighter. “Consolidated Industries strive to satisfy the needs of their “Customer-Partners.” Consolidated Industries does business with many AAAA industry partners. Marc and a couple members of his team attended this year’s Army Aviation Mission Solution Summit in Nashville, TN in March. He said, “I found the Summit to be a unique venue. We enjoyed seeing U.S. service members and their families as well as foreign service members.” He thought the round table discussions with Army and industry leadership to be very

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

products found in helicopters and jet engines. Several of their products are critical structural and rotor components as well as jet engine components. Their forgings have a direct application to the aircrafts’ and aircrew’s safety and are designated “Flight Safety” parts. It’s no accident that Consolidated has a workforce capable of making these parts. They hold “Mini Career Days” that involve the young people of the local community as well as sponsor internships. Marc said, “Interns provide valuable assistance to Consolidated through their work on a number of improvement projects that lead to new ideas and cost savings. We find the interns bring a high level of enthusiasm, ability and a great Can-Do attitude.” The forged metal parts are made from titanium, aluminum, pyrowear, steel and nickel based alloys accord66

June 30, 2015

New AAAA Members

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informative. He said he made quite a few connections while there. NETWORKING!!!! AAAA, its members and staff, must have made a great impression on him and his team – they signed up as AAAA corporate members at the Summit! Thanks to the entire AAAA Membership Committee for making this happen. Consolidated Industries is a member of the Connecticut Chapter and have 5 employees signed up. The Director of Sales and Marketing, Marc Fortin is married and has 2 grown children. His 25 years in the forging industry are only eclipsed by his marriage of 35 years. Congratulations Marc and welcome to AAAA.

New Lifetime Members

Thomas Baker Paul K. Baker SFC Ken Botz, Ret. CPT Christopher Bowers LTC Gregg Clark Kresten Cook Annette Cross 1LT Date O. Dakitse CW5 Thaddeus Dalkiewicz, Ret. CAPT James P. Davidson, Ret. CSM Martin D. Dickinson CW4 Brian Fitzgerald MAJ Keith Graham MAJ Michael Gross CW5 Duane Hetrick James J. Holmes CW4 David Kalcevic CW2 Douglas Kephart CPT Rory Lipsett CW4 Thomas Luckenback David L. Mcintire MAJ John M. McLean II 1SG Guy Miller II MAJ Phillip Peters II CPT Trevor Petrick James F. Roundtree CW4 Timothy Seecholtz COL Herbert J. Sims, Ret. MAJ Kenneth Smith MSG Shannon Thompson 1LT Dominick M. Viruleg SFC Linda Wikel CW5 Joseph Witmer CW4 Adam S. Worthington SGT Ryan Yoder CW4 Edgar Young, Ret.

New Members Air Assault Chapter MAJ Jonathan Baker CW4 Terry R. Hill, Ret. LTC Larry Hillis, USAR Ret. CPT Ryan Hopkins SFC Orvis Eugene Kinch MAJ Jill Kathleen Mudge Aloha Chapter CW5 Matt Fitter, USAR Arizona Chapter Quintin Bradford

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

SUPPORT

Forrest W. Kelman Robert Kunicki Michele Lee Kunicki Dawn M. Luera Faustino Perez Brett Sandefur James R. Simpson Sylvia U. Viagran Johnny G. Villalobos Jr. David Villanueva Michelle C. Yanez Zachary J. Zeedyk Delaware Valley Chapter Charley Carl Barrett, Jr. Empire Chapter CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper SGT Larry Sloan Flint Hills Chapter AAAA VP for Membership CPT James Bowen Flying Gator Chapter LTC Terry D. Hashey Aviation Center Chapter Flying Tigers Chapter 2LT James M. Bassette MAJ Paul Joseph Chapman II CW3 Steven B Boras 1LT Andrew Newkirk WO1 Chad S. Braunschwig SFC Robert Rhodes 2LT John L. Bruch SFC Edna Vargas 2LT Robert P. Callahan Jr. Iron Mike Chapter WO1 Mary F. Cordova 1SG Jermaine Baldwin WO1 Joshua T. Durand Jimmy Doolittle Chapter 2LT Alicia K. Fitzsimmons SPC Charles C. Coleman WO1 Jonathan L. Hamacher SGT Shatiqua E. Jones 2LT Dietrrich K. Henckel SGT Josh M. Liberti 2LT Rachel J. Martin CW2 Eric A. Ponder WO1 Mandi M. McClure Keystone Chapter WO1 Robert B. Perry WO1 David Galvin SSG John Piwko Lindbergh Chapter 1LT Logan C. Reed Jerome Cletus Smith 2LT Trevor A. Thein Mid-Atlantic Chapter WO1 Logan W. Thomas SPC Christopher M. Hoffman MAJ Patrick Westmoreland Mount Rainier Chapter WO1 Mark W. Winter Lt. Col. Robert Brock, USAF Ret. Badger Chapter North Star Chapter Quintin Bradford John A Egan Bavarian Chapter North Texas Chapter George Norman Wimpy Norm Walker Black Knights Chapter Phantom Corps Chapter CDT Alexandra Lycan 1SG Quentin Liong Cedar Rapids Chapter CW2 William R Regert Duane Grave CSM Glenn A. Rodney Kelley Kirtz CSM Maurice Pete Thibodeaux II Central Florida Chapter Pikes Peak Chapter Stephen Tracey Farrow CSM Steven DiGeorgio Colonial Virginia Chapter Prairie Soldier Chapter 1SG Michael L. Wiley SGT Daniel Anderson Corpus Christi Chapter SGT Matthew Ty Hawke Christine L. Aguilar Ragin’ Cajun Chapter Zachary S. Anderson SPC Eric Johnson Edwardo Avila SGT Donovan Ray VanMol Scott I. Bryant Savannah Chapter CPT David Florez MAJ Ryan Forshee Arturo Gomez Enrique Eliseo Gonzales PFC Vernoris A. James

Tarheel Chapter SFC Felix Gomez SSG Justin R. Hammond Tennessee Valley Chapter Mike Boyajian Mark Freeman II Tim Hutchison Nathan Lee Miller Thunderbird Chapter SPC Mark A. Colbert Jr. SGT Carrie Elwell SSG Ronald Elwell SPC Samantha L. Hurst Voodoo Chapter SPC Corey Basile SSG Corey Clements PFC Colin Vaughn Washington-Potomac Chapter LTC Wenceslao Angulo Marc Dennis Burkhardt CW3 Robert Dorr CW3 Jarrett Lesly James McKenna CW4 Damon Jay Nicolas CW3 Colin Page CW3 Robert Wood Wright Brothers Chapter WO1 William Beard No Chapter Affiliation Curtis J. Herrick IV Kevin Manix SPC Chintan Mehta CPT Morgan P. Rosseel CW4 Carolyn L. Weekes Melissa Wells

Lost Members

Help AAAA locate a lost member on this list and recieve a free one month extension to your membership! WO1 Craig A. Adams Mrs. Walter D. Bowden 1LT Jessica L. Clarke SGT Brian Donaghu LTC Richard J. Ehrlichman SGT Lewis A. Griffin SPC Robert F. Helm SPC Chad Johnson 1SG Kevin M. Johnson PFC Kishan P. Laltoo PV2 Dillion Lang Mike Legg SPC Malcolm Lonnie SPC William J. Ruiz 2LT Bonnie A. Snow SGT Marcus Snow SPC William Vaughn Brandon Wolfson SGT Jamie Wongsing

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Family Forum z

Judy Konitzer

More Reflections

from the 2015 Mission Solutions Summit Awardee Family Members By Judy Konitzer

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AAPI PHOTO BY RENÉ BIDEZ

s promised last month, this is part 2 of reflections from awardee family members from the 2015 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit that I am honored to share with our readers.

John J. Stanko Army National Guard Aviation Unit of the Year – MAJ Byron N. Cadiz and 1SG Keith I. Nakahara “As the spouse of a Soldier, I vowed to support Byron wholeheartedly in any endeavor that he sought out in his military career. When we started dating I wasn’t sure what kind of commitment this would entail, but over the years it became apparent that God, unconditional love, communication, strength, and sacrifice on both of our parts through the high and low times was the key to success. This included being the rock for our two young children during deployments, drills, meetings, flying, and schooling. I knew his job s a technician in the National Guard, would require him to ARMY AVIATION Magazine

be away from home more often than not. When Byron told me that his unit had won the Award, we immediately gave praise and honor to God Almighty for His favor and blessings upon him, his First Sergeant and the unit’s men, women, families, and friends. Every person played an integral part in its accomplishments and ultimately in its success for receipt of the award. There aren’t enough words to express how humbled and blessed I felt being able to attend the AAAA Summit in Nashville and share this moment in my husband’s career. I am so thankful for the time and life experiences I acquired there and will hold these in my heart and share with others for many years to come. To be frank, I wasn’t familiar with AAAA’s yearly conferences and did not understand the magnitude 68

of who and what AAAA represented. Attending this summit helped me to gain understanding and a newfound appreciation for it, its members, board members, contractors, and the employees who choose to be a part of this phenomenal organization. This was my first AAAA Summit experience, and we were overwhelmed at the generosity and hospitality extended towards us during our time there. Janis, Corey, and our photographer Alice, among other AAAA staff, welcomed us with loving arms and made sure that we, along with all the awardees and their families, were comfortable and able to experience everything AAAA and Opryland had to offer. The events that we experienced were beyond amazing. The Marriott Gaylord Opryland Hotel was magnificent and June 30, 2015

Army Aviation Association of America Scholarship Foundation, Inc. “Families of the Fallen” Scholarship The “Families of the Fallen” scholarship was established for surviving spouses and children of those killed in action and training accidents while serving in the Army Aviation community.

Combat aviation brigade PHoto

This merit-based scholarship joins over 250 other AAAASFI scholarships totaling over $400,000 annually to members of AAAA and their families. Go to Quad-a.org to donate today.

AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

Children and Soldiers of the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, stop for a quick group photo during the 2-6 CAV Kiki Spur Ride to earn their spurs on Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.

its numerous facets left me in awe. The Atrium immediately took me back to the mountains and lush foliage of Hawaii, and it felt like a home away from home. The Awardee dinner the first night we arrived was a great way to meet AAAA’s Board members, and we also thoroughly enjoyed meeting and building relationships with other awardees and their families while hearing their amazing stories. The Hall of Fame Reception and Induction Banquet was another avenue for us to meet and learn about the heroism that the awardees and their families experienced. What a true honor to be amongst people who love their country, job, and others more than life itself. It was an honor for me to be able to share battlefield stories with other spouses and learn that unconditional love, sacrifice, and resiliency are what hold them together today. The Photo Safari and Wine Tasting tours with a crash course in what makes Nashville so unique also provided me time to spend with spouses and their families, where we shared stories, laughter, and even some tears all the while enjoying the music city and ARMY AVIATION Magazine

593 Main Street, Monroe CT 06468-2806 203-268-2450 F: 203-268-5870 • www.quad-a.org

its history, barbecue, cupcakes, wineries, vineyards, and the beautiful backcountry and rolling hills of Tennessee. I have stowed away so many memories from this AAAA Summit 2015 experience, and I was most grateful for the time that I was able to spend with amazing, loving, passionate, and self-less people. I vowed to my husband that we would return again to another AAAA Summit. Through this I have also developed a deeper level of appreciation for our Soldiers, who continue to serve and sacrifice their lives for America, and for their families, friends, leaders, and the corporations who support them. Thank you also to AAAA for your self-less sacrifice, unconditional love, and the passion that you have for us and for each and every person who will also stand up for and support Army Aviation Association of America! God Bless America.” …Chanelle Cadiz

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U.S. Army Reserve Aviation Unit of the Year – 90th Aviation Support Battalion “The Rattlers of the 90th ASB make each and every one of us proud to pledge our allegiance to our great nation and to call ourselves military families. The honor of the USAR Aviation Unit of the Year award could not be better placed than on the fine individuals of the 90th ASB. This honor serves as tangible proof that all of the sacrifices made by soldiers and family alike are completely in service to the higher cause that is the United States of America and all that she stands for.”…Kayla Lingenfelter, Headquarters and Support Company Family Readiness Group Leader Each of the awardee family members I met was an inspiration and I hope the comments in this column have given you some insight as to why they are also deserving of the National Awards their Soldiers received.

Judy Konitzer is the family forum editor for ARMY AVIATION; questions & suggestions can be directed to her at [email protected]. June 30, 2015

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Aviation General Officer Promotions/Assignments

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Transfer of Authority

Cargo Helicopter Activates International PD

TF Destiny Assumes Responsibility

U.S. ARMY PHOTO SOFIA BLEDSOE

BG Troy D. Kok, U.S. Army Reserve, commander (Troop Program Unit), 11th Aviation Command, Fort Knox, KY, to deputy commanding general (Support) (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, KY.

The Program Executive Office for Aviation marked a milestone with the activation of the Cargo International product directorate during a May 7 ceremony at Redstone Arsenal, AL. Michael Switzer accepted the charter for the new product directorate from COL Robert Barrie, project manager for Cargo Helicopters. Switzer is one of 10 inaugural Department of the Army centralized selection board civilian product directors.

BG Richard J. Torres, U.S. Army Reserve, deputy commanding general, operations, (Troop Program Unit), 80th Training Command (Total Army School System), Richmond, VA, to director, Army Reserve Engagement Cell (Individual Mobilization Augmentee), U.S. Army South, Joint Base San Antonio, TX.

Change of Charter

COL Thomas Drew (left) and CSM Stuart O’Black, brigade commander and command sergeant major, uncase the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) colors during a May 2, 2015 transfer of authority ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Task Force Destiny assumed responsibility from 82nd CAB / Task Force Pale Horse which had been deployed for nine months.

ARH Cases its Colors

Awards

Long Takes Over SEMA PDO

Then LTC James Mills, product manager for the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter product office, and Hal Ridley, deputy product manager, case the colors for the ARH product office on May 7, 2015. Under the ARI, the Army is meeting the Armed Aerial Scout capability with existing equipment and technology, leveraging the capabilities of manned-unmanned teaming, vice pursuing a new replacement aircraft for the Kiowa warrior, and replacing the Army’s aging fleet of training aircraft with the UH-72 Light Utility Helicopter. Mills was promoted to colonel immediately following the ceremony. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

U.S. ARMY PHOTO SOFIA BLEDSOE

Franklin Awarded Soldier’s Medal

U.S. ARMY PHOTO SOFIA BLEDSOE

U.S. ARMY PHOTO

U.S. ARMY PHOTO

The chief of staff, Army announced the following assignments:

Robert Derek Long receives the Fixed Wing Aircraft colors from COL Steven Clark, project manager for the Fixed Wing Aircraft Project Office during an April 30 change of charter ceremony at Redstone Arsenal, AL. Long is the incoming Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) product director. He assumed responsibility from LTC Brian Forrest whose retirement ceremony was conducted on the same day.

South Carolina National Guard Soldier CPT Kyle Franklin, a chaplain assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-151st Security and Support Aviation Battalion, greeted two of the people he helped after

AAAA Members Keep in Touch!

Find us on Twitter – @Army_Aviation On Facebook, LinkedIN, and YouTube search for Army Aviation Association of America.

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a ceremony May, 3, 2015, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base where he was awarded the Soldier’s Medal. Franklin was presented the award for his heroism in extracting two people from a burning vehicle on Feb. 9, 2013, and rendering medical aid to two others who were involved in a head-on collision.

BLACK KNIGHT CHAPTER COURTESY PHOTO

Coyle Named Top Ranked Aviation Cadet

CDT Craig Coyle (center) was awarded the top ranked U.S. Military Academy Aviation cadet for the class of 2015 by LTG (Ret.) Dell L. Dailey (left), AAAA National President, BG (Ret.) E.J. Sinclair (right) and AAAA Black Knight Chapter President, BG (Ret.) R. Dennis Kerr (far right) during the annual chapter hosted golf tournament and BBQ dinner on May 1.

AHS Honors Fardink

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PAUL FARDINK PERSONAL PHOTO

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Selection/Promotions Lists Deschene, Michael Joseph * Desimone, Peter Charles III Diehl, Samuel Anderson AAAA congratulates the U.S. Dillon, Julie Elizabeth Military Academy’s Class Dorminey, Samantha Pearl of 2015 which graduated Drew, Natalia Michelle May 23; and especially the Eldridge, Stephanie Megan * following 83 members who Emerson, Christopher Michael * branched Army Aviation. Finley, Lyle Dean III * Finocchio, Michael Anthony II * Aguilar, Alejandro Miguel Fredrickson, Kyle Peter * Anderson, Rachel Louise Gleue, Ethan Henry * Anderson, Samuel Jacob Haaser, Conor Walter Aten, Coree Andrew Hamilton, Hunter Glenn Bapp, Angela Grace * Hawbaker, Daniel William * Bean, McCoy Stephen Hendrix, Grant McMahill * Bertles, Tyler Steven * Hobbie, Ryan Lee Blaine, Daniel Franklin Holmes, William Garrett * Blair, Alexis Cameron * Horne, Jesse Joseph * Blanchard, Jordan Alexandra * Iden, Cody Luea Boyd, Zachary Aarron * Johnston, Jeffrey Ross * Brown, David Matthew * Kaple, Nickole Elisabeth Brown, Steven Karl * Kates, Aron Jacob Sullivan Bruno, Nicholas Michael Khoo, Matthew Siu-Hock * Buonforte, John Thomas Layman, Alex Cristiani Carlin, Kevin Scott Jr. * Lee, Zachary Thomas Childers, Casey Ryan * Lenavitt, Phillip Sydney Cleinmark, Alison Elizabeth * Lycan, Alexandra Garth * Conrad, Hayden Thomas * Mallet, Irene Laetitia Coyle, Craig Jonathan * Medeiros, Jacob Thomas Cravey, Thomas Wayne Meehan, John Logan Degen, Nathan Ryan * Mersereau, Richard Hiram

USMA Aviation Branched Grads

FY 2016 CSMSGM Brigade & Battalion Key Billet Selection Board Results

The American Helicopter Society International (AHS) selected LTC (Ret.) Paul Fardink as the 2015 recipient of the Bernard Lindenbaum Award for best Historical Paper during their annual forum May 5-7 in Virginia Beach, VA. The title of the paper was “The U.S. Army’s CH-54 Skycrane Helicopter: History and Contributions.” Pictured with Fardink (holding trophy) at the May 7 presentation are (l to r) Dr. Bruce Charnov, History Forum Session Chair; Fardink; David Gibbings, winner of the John J. Schneider Historical Achievement Award; and Jacques Virasak, AHS History Committee Chair. A retired Army Aviator, Fardink is a frequent contributor to ARMY AVIATION magazine.

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The fiscal year 2016 CSM & SGM key billet selection board results were released April 9. Congratulations to the following 52 Aviation senior noncommissioned officers selected for brigade, battalion and other key billets. Brigade Principals (9) KV1G – AVIATION OPERATIONS CSM Hedrick Todd Wayne 15Z FORSCOM 164 Avn TAOG (Ft Rucker) CSM McCabe, Stephen Phillip 15Z MDW US Army Air Ops Grp (Ft McNair) 71

CSM Schley, James Russell 15Z FORSCOM ATSCOM (Ft Rucker) KV2G – AVIATION MAINTENANCE GENERATING CSM Ankrum, Lloyd Shawn 15Z TRADOC 110 Avn Bde (Ft Rucker) CSM Puckett, Drury Minton III 15Z TRADOC Avn Log NCOA (Ft Eustis) KV2P – AVIATION MAINTENANCE – OPERATIONS CSM Deanda, Lucio Concepcion 15Z FORSCOM 1CAB 1CD (Ft Hood) CSM Escalera, Carlos 15Z FORSCOM 10Mtn CAB (Ft Drum) CSM Garretson, Peter

Mogan, Sean David * Nielsen, Matthew Martz * Noonan, Cody Michael * Ozga, George Andrew Phillips, Ashley Summer Pinnell, Jack Douglas Pratt-Cordova, Cale Paris * Rose, Nicholas Jordan * Salmon, Stephanie Lee Scales, Lauren Alexandra Sears, Daniel Gregory Ellis * Shearouse, Alexander Thomas * Shields, Benjamin Ronald * Solomon, Andre Lee Steggerda, Scott Jonathon Supina, Patrick Larson * Tallier, Corey Matthew Theriot, Christal Pagaran Tingstrom, Tyler Stanley * Totorica, Mitxel Baum * Trainor, Daniel James Viana, William Stephen * Vollmer, Steven Zabel Walsh, Kelly Shawn * Welch, Austin Cole Wells, Melissa Sterling Williams, Sarah Elizabeth Young, Benjamin Robert * Zinge, Jacob Michael * = AAAA Member + = Life Member

Jacquette 15Z USARPAC 2ID CAB Cp Humphreys Korea) KV2T – AVIATION MAINTENANCE – TRAINER CSM Palfreeman, Jason James 15P TRADOC USAACE NCOA (Ft Rucker) Battalion Principals (43) NV1G – AVIATION OPS – GENERATING MSG(P) Awai, Michael Lee Masao 15P TRADOC 1-212 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) MSG Cowart, Jerry Michael Jr 15Z TRADOC 1-14 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) MSG McGee Scott Waymon 15P TRADOC 1-223 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) (Continued on next page)

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FY 2016 CSMSGM Brigade & Battalion Key Billet Selection Board Results continued SGM Pinckney, Marvin Alexander 15P TRADOC 1-11 ATC (Ft Rucker) SGM Webster, George Stanley 15P TRADOC 1-13 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) NV1P – AVIATION OPS – OPERATIONS MSG Romero, Luis Fernando 15Z USARSO 1-228 GSAB (Honduras) NV2G – AVIATION MAINTENANCE – GENERATING MSG Behrens, William Ernest 15Z TRADOC 1-222 Avn Bn (Ft Eustis) MSG Oney, Hugh Nuton Jr 15Z TRADOC 1-210 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) MSG Ros, Timothy John 15Z TRADOC 2-13 Avn Bn (Ft Rucker) MSG SerranoSanchezHidalgo, Albert 15Z TRADOC 2-210 Avn Bn (Ft Eustis) NV2P – AVIATION MAINTENANCE – OPERATIONS SGM Annicelli, Daniel Phillip 15P USARPAC 3-159 Atk Bn – reflag 125 ARB (Ft Wainwright) MSG Bell, Bryan Wayne 15Z FORSCOM 277 ASB (Ft Drum) MSG Cain, Gloria Jean 15Z FORSCOM 127ASB (Ft Bliss)

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MSG Carl, Mark Eric 15Z USARPAC 4-2 Atk Bn (Cp Humphreys Korea) SGM Coolbaugh, Christopher Lee 15Z FORSCOM 4-4 ARB (Ft Carson) SGM Evans, Dwight Nathaniel Jr 5Z FORSCOM 2-1 GSAB (Ft Riley) SGM Grantham, Brian Norvell 15Z FORSCOM 404 ASB (Ft Carson) MSG Haddon, William Edward 15P FORSCOM 3-227 Aslt Bn (Ft Hood) MSG Harvey, Gregory Wayne 15Z FORSCOM 6-6 Cav (Ft Drum) MSG Hunter, Ahan Augustus 15Z FORSCOM 3-10 GSAB (Ft Drum) SGM Jordan, Kevin Charles 15P FORSCOM 3-4 AHB (Ft Carson) MSG Lee, David Earl 15Z USARPAC 2-2 Aslt Bn (K-16 Korea) MSG(P) Liles, Tony Joe 15P FORSCOM 2-4 GSAB (Ft Carson) MSG Littler, Ronnie Bruce 15P FORSCOM 2-10 Aslt Bn (Ft Drum) 1SG Logan, Johnathan Douglas 15Z FORSCOM 122 ASB (Ft Bragg) MSG Lopez, Rodolfo 15Z USARPAC 209 ASB (Wheeler AAF, HI) MSG(P) Mancini, Matteo 15P FORSCOM 3-1 Avn Bn (Ft Riley) SGM Merchant, Russell Rene 15Z FORSCOM 1-10 Atk Bn (Ft Drum) SGM Nutter, Scott Edward 15P FORSCOM 2-227 GSAB (Ft Hood)

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SGM OrtizFigueroa, Ivan Antonio 15Z FORSCOM 46 ASB (JB LewisMcChord) MSG(P) Perez, Jose Manuel Jr 15P FORSCOM 4-227 Atk Bn (Ft Hood) MSG Perry, Brandon John 15Z FORSCOM 1-4 Atk Bn (Ft Carson) MSG Reyes, Terrence Darren Jr 15P FORSCOM 4-501 Atk Bn (Ft Bliss) SGM Rodriguez, Franklin Rafael 15Z FORSCOM 1-229 Avn Bn (JB Lewis-McChord) MSG Snyder, Daniel Lee 15Z FORSCOM 615 ASB (Ft Hood) MSG Stenbak, Jason Kenneth 15Z FORSCOM 2-3 GSAB (Hunter AAF, GA) SGM Stephens, Marde Ray 15P USARPAC 3-25 GSAB (Wheeler AAF, HI) MSG Wickperez, David 15Z FORSCOM 1-501st Atk Bn (Ft Bliss) MSG Wise, Randall Louis 15Z FORSCOM 1-227 Atk Bn (Ft Hood) MSG Wood, Jerramy Lee 15P USARPAC 1-52 Avn Bn (Ft Wainwright) MSG Wright, Howard Alfred III 15Z FORSCOM 2-501 GSAB (Ft Bliss) NV2T – AVIATION MAINTENANCE – TRAINER CSM Martin, Jon Andre 15Z FORSCOM NTC Avn Cbt Trnr

Please Consider Contributing to the AAAASFI through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) program. The AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc. provides a variety of annual scholarships to hundreds of students seeking higher education: Soldiers, NCOs, warrant and commissioned officers and to their family members. Your tax-deductible donation helps make a difference to those looking to further their educational opportunities. Contribute to #10516. See your unit CFC representative for details on participating in the CFC Program. The AAAA Scholarship Foundation, Inc. 593 Main Street, Monroe, CT 06468-2806 Email: [email protected] (203) 268-2450

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(Eagle Tm)(Ft Irwin) CSM Wagenbrenner, Charles R 15Z Unslated

FY 2015 Master Sergeant Active, US Army Reserve, Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Selection Board Results The fiscal year 2015 Army Active, USAR, & AGR competitive category selection board results were released May 7, 2015. AAAA congratulates the following 81 Aviation sergeants first class on their selection. Active Seq # NAME PMOS 75 Alvarran, Eduardo 68 Baeza, Daniel Jr 35 Barner, Jacob M 30 Barnes, Cory R 1 Beegle, Bernice K 47 Berrios, Christian * 44 Booth, Michael Cory 14 Bowen, David Lee 8 Brooks, Tuesday R 20 Bullock, Shannon J 33 Cadengo, Jose 45 Campbell, Scott P * 22 Carr, Benjamin E 49 Contreras, NathanH 63 Davis, Clarence P 61 Dilka, Jay R 34 Dotson, Joey R * 74 Edwards, David R 46 Gossett, Charles E 16 Gray, Kenneth M 24 Hanson, Justin D * 13 Hasan, Tahir Naim * 69 Jasmer, John G 41 Jones, PaulMichael 17 Khoonsrivong, Alex 19 Laga, Jaye Tupua 64 Lambarena, DanielA 54 Lemasters, Dylan J 55 Lemker, Timothy D 56 Link, Keith Daniel 18 Liong, Quentin S 32 Lowe, Shawn D 38 Manglona, Alvin P 36 Manintin, Bryston K 72 Manosasantiago, Ant 40 Margiano Christopher 67 McDonald, Rachel M* 23 McFadden, James C*

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McLilly, William E Minnella, Robert A Mintz, Anthony L Mireles, Frank L Murphy, Scott S Narducci, Brian D Nash, Jonathan D Negron, Angel A * Nelson, John D Newman, Matthew J Nomura, Masao T Ortega, Calletano D Palm, Jason M * Philadelphia, Julia Picarro, Anthony W * Ramirez, Christopher Ramon, Gabriel Ray, Daniel N Redondo, Shawn M Reed, Jeffrey P * Rich, Don C Roberts, Christian * Rodriguez, Roger J Sager, Theodore L Santiagovazquez, Ed Sauer, Clayton L * Schmidli, Jeremy A Shifflett, Adam J * Stephens, Aaron L Stevenson, Timothy Swaby, Lloyd E Taylor, Michael S Thibodeau, Mark L Torrescolon, Rafael Towles, Jeffrey A Trought, Cavell C * Tyler, Joshua J Vandyke, Jerome L Watts, Jason M Webb, Justin C *

USAR / AGR Seq # NAMEPMOS 1 Loveday, Jason A 2 Peters, John E 3 Wilson, Mark A

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Army Warrant Officer Candidate Course Selection Board Results Headquarters, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, released the results of an Army Warrant Officer Candidate Course selection board that was conducted in mid-May. AAAA congratulates the following 53 soldiers and airmen on their selection for aviaARMY AVIATION Magazine

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tion-related military occupational specialties (MOS). 150U, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Tech Filippov, Oleg SSG Gatta, Robert SSG Palowitch, Joshua SSG 153A, Rotary Wing Aviator Arocho, Isaias SGT Ball, Matthew SGT * Biar, Nathan SSG Braddock, Brandon SSG Brennan, Timothy CPT Bryant, Daniel SSGT Butkovich, Scott TSgt Callari, Brent TSGT Deacon, Beau SFC Dellheim-Johnson, Rebecca SGT Deobler, Richard SGT Do, Vinh 1LT Doggett, Zachary SSG Ducharme, Andrew SSgt Elzey, Cody SrA Fairall, Brian SFC Forslund, Peter SSG Freitas, George SSG Gilbertson, Travis SSG Govan, Matthew 1LT Griner, Nathaniel SFC Hirschman, Michael SGT Huebler, Ryan SGT Hull, Alan SrA Keefer, Scott SPC Lee, Leonard SPC Markham, John SGT Martin, Jacob SGT McCormack, Preston SSG McSorley, Myles SPC Moloney, Lincoln SPC Moody, Benjamin SGT Mowery, Nick SSG Murphy, Ryan SSG Richardson, Raymond SFC Ruby, Dustin SSG Scharnhorst, Jonathan SGT Shank, Dustin SSG Sharpes, Michael SGT Shepherd, Christopher SGT Smart, Nicholas CPL Smith, Brenton SFC Solecki, Brian SPC Spruill, Michael SPC Stacey, Kevin SGT Stevenson, Brandon SGT Sumesar, Avin SGT Timothy, Brice SPC Turner, Orrin SSG

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Flight School Graduates

AAAA provides standard aviator wings to all graduates and sterling silver aviator wings to the distiguished graduates of each flight class ... another example of AAAA’s SUPPORT for the U.S. Army Aviation Soldier and family. AAAA congratulates the following officers graduating from the Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) courses at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, Fort Rucker, AL. 37 Officers, May 7 IERW AH-64D Track LT Jeff Pruett * – DG WO1 Jeffrey Wells * – DG WO1 John Bastan * WO1 John Brockway WO1 Matthew Davis * LT Andrew Holben WO1 Nate Lamb * WO1 Timothy Locklear * WO1 Kaitlyn Rose * LT Kylie Schubert LT Christopher Van Slyke * LT Brennan Wilde * IERW CH-47F Track LT Jamie Beaver * WO1 Andrew Larsen IERW UH-60 Track WO1 Hakon Broberg – HG WO1 Ivan Betancourt WO1 Andrew Kinh * WO1 Mario Rossi IERW UH-60 A/M Track WO1 Amy Burleson – DG LT Soma Mayahzadeh – DG WO1 Gustavo Castano – HG WO1 Ryan Cronin – HG LT Nathan Baker * WO1 Michael Brownell LT Nathaniel Cumming * CW2 Joseph Decker WO1 Walter Eiman * WO1 James Hawkins LT Karl Krauklis 73

WO1 Kenny Lee WO1 David Nelson WO1 Clinton Piotrowski WO1 Matthew Rindal WO1 Robert Roedler WO1 Thomas Skinner * WO1 Elizabeth Wehner * WO1 John Whythe 24 Officers, May 21 IERW UH-60 Track LT Scott Carter LT Deanna Ciccarelli * LT Winston Cox WO1 Stephanie Patterson IERW UH-60 A/M Track WO1 Marcus Emelio * – DG LT Joseph Wilson – DG LT Paul Fitzpatrick – HG WO1 Joshua Hinch * – HG LT Jake Carr * LT Alyssa Crandall WO1 Colby Drye LT Philip Fons LT James Gantt WO1 Zachary Grabinski LT Johnathan Jones * LT Christopher Mazzi * WO1 Dan Mossman LT Piper Newman * WO1 Casey Pierce * WO1 Gerald Soares LT Stephen Stahl WO1 Nathan Wendzel WO1 Nicholas Yates LT Justin Yoon *

DG = Distinguished Graduate HG = Honor Graduate * = AAAA Member

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Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Graduations UAS OPERATOR AAAA congratulates the following graduates of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator Course, MOS 15W, at Fort Huachuca, AZ. Shadow UAS Operator Course 25 Graduates, March 20 PV2 Alex D. Maccini – DHG SPC Gregorytuan T. Lai – HG SPC Hunter S. Mauracooper * – HG PV2 Justus P. Carlstrom – HG PV2 Zachary D. Sternberg – HG PV2 Devan J. Wade SSG Oscar O. Diaz-Colon SGT Marcjohn S. Perilla SGT Joshua E. Teckenbrock * SGT Tiffanie M. Teckenbrock SPC David H. Beard SPC Cody Koffler SPC Joshua J. Landen SPC Brian A. Le SPC Alexis A. Lewis SPC Kyle D. Mouser SPC Samuel R. Young * PFC Brianna L. Holding PFC Denzel D. Washington PV2 David D. Brauch PV2 Jarrod M. Braud PV2 Chance E. Charles PV2 Aaron Chung PV2 Dave F. Echeverria Shadow UAS Operator Course 22 Graduates, April 7 PV2 Weylin S. McGee – DHG SGT Andrew S. West – HG PFC Kyler L. Robinson – HG PV2 Collin M. Saubert – HG SSG Scott J. Knuston SPC Aric J. Andrew SPC Melvin E. Carter SPC Carlos E. Lopez-Estevez SPC Alnoris L. Rivera-Cardona SPC Nicholas C. Vanwey SPC Rodney J. Washington PFC Samuel D. Hendricks PFC Tyler S. Mosely PFC Connor D. Pealer PFC Thomas F. Mahar PV2 David P. Barnes PV2 Alexander S. Hira PV2 Gabriel A. Hernandez PV2 Michael L. Mccarty PV2 Isaac W. Ruotsala ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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UAS REPAIRER AAAA congratulates the following Army graduates of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Repairer Course, MOS 15E, at Fort Huachuca, AZ. Shadow UAS Repairer Course 9 Graduates, March 5 PV2 Declusin Jose – DHG PV2 Freeman Beau PVT Strickland Cody SGT Bolich Kelly PVT Peoples Kenneth SPC Larson Ryan SFC Mclaughlin Joseph SPC Pelo Tyson PV2 Fangering Tristan Shadow UAS Repairer Course 9 Graduates, March 19 PV2 Shane A. Polutchko – HG PFC Sarah A. Barclay PV2 Christopher M. Callan PVT Woodrow E. Carpenter SGT Bryce L. Crawford SPC Catrell S. Flowers PFC Chadwicke A. Gordon PV2 Kevin A. Kitchens PFC Carlos M. Merinohernandez Shadow UAS repairer Course 9 Graduates, May 5th PV2 Cashion, Jacob C. – DHG PV2 Downs, Kurtis A. – HG PV2 Drew, Michael C. PFC Johnson, Dwayne V. SGT Moratin, Justen A. PFC Mower, Nicole M. PVT Ortega, Joaquin C. PVT Rodriguez, Anthony R. SPC Seibert, Dustin K. Shadow UAS repairer Course 12 Graduates, May 26th SSG Casey, Justin – DHG PVT Ayers, Raylyn A. – HG PVT Brandon, Ryan W. PV2 Coots, Stormie R. PVT Cruz, Raul PV2 Furtick, Cecil M. PFC Jones, Cameron L. PVT Morrell, Michael G. PV2 Peck, Graham W. PVT Phillips, Ryan J. PVT Sutherland, Kyle A. PFC White, Tyler S. DHG = Distinguished Honor Graduate HG = Honor Graduate * = AAAA Member June 30, 2015

Industry News l Announcements Related to Army Aviation Matters NETWORK

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Editor’s note: Companies can send their Army Aviation related news releases and information to [email protected].

DiSTI Awarded Lakota VMT Contract

The DiSTI Corporation, a leading provider of graphical user interface software and customized 3-D virtual maintenance training solutions, announced on April 27 a contract award from the U.S. Army to develop a virtual maintenance trainer (VMT) for the UH-72A Lakota helicopter. The $4.4 million contract includes the development of twelve (12) interactive student workstations with a networked Instructor station, an additional “hangar” workstation to be collocated with a hardware-based trainer, and a “reach-back” training capability to deploy virtual training content on hand-held mobile devices. The contract also provides for one year of Interim Contractor Support (ICS). The trainer will be delivered to the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (WAATS) in Marana, Arizona in mid-2016.

Airbus Group Delivers 1st New UH-72A Lakota for Army Initial-Entry Trainer Mission

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- DHPC Technologies Inc., Woodbridge, NJ was awarded a $12,692,868 cost-plus-fixed-fee incrementally funded contract with options for developing advanced prototype aircraft survivability equipment hardware and techniques, and modifying and retrofitting existing fielded production systems; work will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020. - Dillon Aero,* Scottsdale, AZ, was awarded a $13,987,456 firmfixed-price multi-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for spare parts for the M134D weapons system in support of the CH47, UH-60, Mi-17, and OH-6 helicopters. Funding and work location will be determined with each order with an estimated completion date of May 15, 2018. - Dyncorp International, Ft. Worth, TX, was awarded a $8,987,464 modification (P00119) to contract W58RGZ-13-C-0042 for aviation maintenance in Regional Aviation Sustainment Management-West; work will be performed at Ft. Hood, TX, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2016. - L-3 Communications Corp., Mission Integration Division, Greenville, TX, was awarded a $31,831,162 fixed-price-incentive contract for the modification of one government-owned Quick Reaction Capability Liberty Project aircraft to an Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System-Multi-Intelligence (EMARSS-M) aircraft; work will be performed in Greenville with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2016

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AirComm ........................................................................13 Alkan..............................................................................48 Beechcraft (Textron Aviation)............................................21 Bell Helicopter - Military .....................................................1 Capewell Aerial Systems .................................................47 Coastal Seat Cushions Inc. .............................................39 Columbia Helicopters, Inc. ..............................................15 Dayton-Granger, Inc........................................................39 Fasterning Systems International, Inc. ..............................31 FLIR Systems, Inc. ..........................................................80 Harris Corporation...........................................................19 L-3 Aviation Products ......................................................43 MD Helicopter ..................................................................2 Meggitt Defense Systems ...............................................23 Mustang Survivial............................................................35 Nammo ..........................................................................11 Phantom Products Inc. ...................................................33 Rockwell Collins, Inc. ......................................................27 Rogerson Kratos ............................................................17 Science and Engineering Services, SES, Inc....................51 Sikorsky ...........................................................................5 SKEDCO, Inc.................................................................... 53 Telephonics Corporation ...................................................... 7 The Protective Group ........................................................ 42 USAA ............................................................................... 25 UTC Aerospace - ISR & Space Systems ........................... 14 UTC Aerospace Systems Sensors & Integrated Systems ...41 Vinnell Arabia ..................................................................45

On Mar 26 Airbus Group delivered to the U.S. Army the first UH-72A Lakota helicopter to come off the Airbus Helicopters Inc. production line configured for the Lakota’s latest mission, as the service’s initial-entry training helicopter. The aircraft will join seven Lakotas previously in the Army inventory that have already been modified to the training configuration and fielded to Fort Rucker, in preparation for the Lakota’s formal introduction into the training curriculum in early fiscal 2016. Ultimately, Army plans call for an initial-entry rotary wing training fleet of 187 Lakotas, made up of a mix of new deliveries and already in-service aircraft reconfigured for the training mission.

Contracts – (From various sources. An “*” by a company name indicates a small business contract) - Avion Solutions, Inc., Huntsville, AL, has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, fixed price, time and materials U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command Expedited Professional and Engineering Support Services (AMCOM EXPRESS) ReGreening contract for logistics to provide dynamic logistics teaming arrangements and subcontracting for professional and highly technical advisory and assistance services to Team Redstone. ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015

AAAA Legislative Report NETWORK

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By COL (Ret.) William H. Morris AAAA Representative to The Military Coalition (TMC) [email protected]

Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate continued movement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 during the month of May. On May 14th the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) proposed a bill to the Senate that authorizes $612 billion for the Department of Defense and select programs of the Department of Energy. The bill proposes $10 billion of reinvestment into other portfolios from programs that were considered unnecessary such as the Army’s WIN-T program and cutting headquarters and administrative functions strength across the Services by 7.5%. The Senate bill continues to bode well for Army Aviation as the bill would authorize $4.5 billion for continued production, remanufacturing and modification of the UH60, AH-64 and CH-47 fleets as requested by the Army in the Presidential Budget 2016 (PB2016) submission. The bill also authorizes improved aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) to include $104 million for additional upgraded Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), $101 million for the acceleration of the Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) and $78.1 million for additional ASE future development. The Senate bill further stipulates a 1.3 percent pay raise for all Servicemembers from the grade of O-6 and below, reauthorizes over 30 types of bonuses and special pays as retention, enlistment and incentive tools and modifies the Survivor Benefit Plan allowing a new spouse beneficiary upon the death of a former spouse beneficiary. On May 15th the House passed their version on NDAA 2016 (H.R. 1735) by a vote of 269-141, although a Presidential veto still looms over their version of the bill. The major disagreement comes over the amount of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding ($89 billion) approved by the House which in essence is used to fund the De-

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

partment of Defense above the base budget cap established by the Budget Control Act of 2011. All of the Army Aviation programs that were submitted in the PB 2016 request remained largely intact with little surprise. Specific resources added to the House bill from the original PB 2016 request included $128 million for National Guard UH-60Ms, $110M for ASE enhancements, $86.7 million for UH-60A-L conversion and increases in Army and Army National Guard flying hour programs by $55 million and $43.9 million respectively. Of note was the additional funding restored to the budget for the USAF A-10 and the prohibition of its retirement from the fleet based on the continued requirement to provide close air support to ground forces. Finally, the bill added $322 million for maintaining commissary hours of operation, a key area of emphasis for The Military Coalition.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Month

With the number of Servicemembers diagnosed as having PTSD and national awareness of this disorder at a heightened level, the U.S. Senate officially designated June 27th as National PTSD awareness day. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs National Center for PTSD, was formed in 1989 through a congressional mandate to take on the challenges of Veterans with PTSD stemming from military service. The Center designated June as National PTSD awareness month. The Center has for over 25 years educated the general public and policymakers that PTSD is not just something that happens to those Veterans returning from Vietnam and that it could affect Servicemembers from other wars or those who witnessed a traumatic event while serving. The Center maintains vast resources to assist Servicemembers and Veterans with PTSD and encourages people to understand their efforts through their core competencies. The three competencies encourage learning about the facts on PTSD, connecting with someone who faces PTSD or getting

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treatment in the case of Servicemembers or Veterans who believe they have symptoms, and sharing what is learned with others so that a greater network can be established to assist those with PTSD. Additional information on resources available through the National Center for PTSD is available on the internet at ptsd.va.gov.

2016 Military Construction /Veterans Affairs Bill

On May 19th the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction (MilCon) and Veterans Affairs (VA) passed the 2016 MilCon/VA appropriations bill. The bill would fund the VA at an all-time high level of $163.8 billion in mandatory and discretionary funding for Fiscal Year 2016 and includes provisions for construction reform, increased access to patient care and provisions for further protections for whistleblowers to avoid repeat infractions as were seen at the Phoenix VA Health Administration facility in 2014. The bill was authored by chairman Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and co-chair Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), and now goes to the floor for approval. Since the approval of the bill, Tester has drafted an amendment to the bill which he sent to Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) for consideration. Tester believes the bill is still underfunded by an additional $857 million that was in the original PB 2016 submission. He points out that the VA is faced with extraordinary demand for care with half a population base of Veterans that is 65 years or older, and a base of younger Veterans who are dealing with PTSD and an alarming suicide rate. Tester’s increases includes $357 million for unfunded and emerging health care challenges, returning a $200 million recession to VA Services which will provide for a small pay raise for VA medical staffs, and $300 million for non-recurring maintenance at VA facilities. The bill is expected to come before the Senate floor by the end of June.

June 30, 2015

AAAA News NETWORK

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UPCOMING EVENTS Upcoming Special Focus

July 2015 1

August/September 2015 Blue Book Directory Scholarship Recipients

Award Submission Deadline – ASE, AMSO, Avionics, and Donald F. Luce Depot Maintenance Artisan Awards 17-19 Transportation Corps Aviation Association Annual Reunion, Ft. Eustis & Williamsburg, VA 17 AAAA Scholarship Foundation Executive Committee Meeting 18 AAAA Scholarship Selection Committee Meeting August 2015

October 2015 Aviation Survivability Aviation Support

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Functional Award Submission Deadline – presented at the Cribbins Aviation Product Symposium. See page 55 for complete list of Awards. 24-30 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Assoc. 32nd Reunion, Washington, DC September 2015

Contact: Bob Lachowski [email protected] or Erika Burgess [email protected]

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Functional Award Submission Deadline – presented at the Annual Aviation Senior Leaders Conference, Fort Rucker. See page 55 for complete list of Awards. 10-13 NGAUS 137th General Conference, Nashville, TN

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June 30, 2015

Art’s

Attic

By Mark Albertson

Art’s Attic is a look back each month 25 years ago and 50 years ago to see what was going on in ARMY AVIATION Magazine. Art Kesten was our founder and first publisher from 1953 to 1987. He was also the founder of the AAAA in 1957 and served as its Executive Vice President. Each month contributing editor Mark Albertson will select a few key items from each historic issue. The cartoon, right, was done back in 1953 by LT Joe Gayhart, a friend of Art’s and an Army Aviator, showing the chaos of his apartment-office in New York City where it all began.

25 Years Ago

50 Years Ago

“Army Aviation in a Changing World,” General Carl E. Vuono

“Philosophy of Command,” Colonel George P. Seneff Jr.

June 30, 1990

June 1965

“It has been the American soldiers, side by side with the other services and allies, and supported by the industrial might of the United States, who has broken the back of the Soviet onslaught of the postwar era . . . But the job is not finished . . . Twice this century we have witnessed changes in Europe as profound as those we face today and in which we played major roles . . . Ever mindful of our past and the tragic consequences of American isolationism after World War I, we must with NATO, help to forge a European security order that will usher in a new age of peace and give democracy a chance.”

Flying Platform

Greater mobility for the individual soldier on scouting missions was the object of this 1955 Hiller vehicle. A ducted fan, powered by three 40 hp Nelson engines, provided lift. Known as the Pawnee, the VZ-1 weighed 465 pounds.

Grand Opening

May 20, 1990, the Army Aviation Museum opened its doors to a 17-gun salute by the 260th Field Artillery. The booming salvos were accompanied by a flyover of the present Army Aviation inventory. Pictured are MG Rudy Ostovich, III (right), LTG John J. Tolson (Ret.) (center) and Congressman William L. Dickinson (left). ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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“A World War II division commander whom I knew fairly well and who was a great gentleman and fine commander said to me one evening in 1945, I have finally come to realize that the only way to be a good commander in wartime is to be a first class SOB! Seneff did not agree, writing, ‘. . . don’t get me wrong. I don’t think you really have to be an SOB in order to accomplish the desired results. You have to lead—preferably by example.’”

Briefing

Captain George L. O’Grady (left), of the Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, explains the XM-6 Rocket System, on the UH-1B Iroquois to officers of the Sudanese armed forces. Together with Captain Grady are Colonel Hassan Fahal Ibrahim (center) and Colonel Ahmed Abu Digin (right).

Announcement

June 16, 1965, Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara: “First, I have authorized the Army to organize a new division, the Airmobile Division. Its introduction will greatly increase our capability to meet all kinds of threats. It places the Army on the threshold of an entirely new approach to the conduct of land warfare.” June 30, 2015

Army Aviation

Hall of Fame The Army Aviation Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Army Aviation

Chief Warrant Officer Five Randolph W. Jones Army Aviation Hall of Fame 1998 Induction

Association of America, Inc., recognizes those individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to Army Aviation. The actual Hall of Fame is located in the Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker, Ala.

The deadline for nominations for the 2017 induction is June 1, 2016 Contact the AAAA National Office for details and nomination forms at (203) 268-2450 or visit www.quad-a.org

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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W5 Jones, over his 30 year stellar aviation career, turned theory tactics and a prescient view of the future into state-of-the-art techniques, and procedures that enabled the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) to execute its national mission with precision. He has contributed to Army Aviation during peace and war and always asserted war fighting in the vertical dimension. He has served with honor and valor in combat to include Vietnam, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia where his heroism earned him the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart. He embodies the “warrior ethic” and is the most admired aviator in the Special Operations Community because of his penchant for bringing out the best in people. A joint mission planner, senior flight lead, instrument flight examiner, and standardization instructor pilot, CW5 Jones has 9,120 hours of accident free military flight time, to include 1,100 combat hours and over 3,000 using night vision goggles (NVGs). A true pioneer in NVG flying, he flew the first single pilot NVG mission, the first over water NVG combat operation during Prime Chance, and also the first night combat mission to an urban area under NVGs during Just Cause. He was promoted to CW5 below the zone by the Army’s first CW5 promotion board. His contributions to improve the entire aviation community will only be fully realized as the numerous aviators he has trained and standards he has set are fully dispersed and implemented throughout the military community. This consummate professional aviator’s trailblazing career embodies precisely what our branch envisioned as the model for our young aviators to emulate. He has served with distinction in every key position to which only the very finest are accepted. In 1992 he was selected as the AAAA “Aviator of the Year.” He has set the standard by which all fellow aviators are judged. November 24, 1998 saw the end of a military career of one of the legends of Army Aviation when CW5 Randy Jones retired from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. A “plank holder” with Task Force 160 who joined the Army in 1970, he is a 1,200 combat hour veteran of Urgent Fury, Prime Chance, Just Cause, Desert Storm, Gothic Serpent and Uphold Democracy. “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.” “Six Guns Don’t Miss.”

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June 30, 2015

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EO/IR AWR QUALIFIED FOR MEDEVAC Come see the future of ISR at Booth # 445 flir.com/armyaviation

TALON

ARMY AVIATION Magazine

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June 30, 2015