The United States Army Aviation Operations

The United States of America, one of the most powerful nations in the world at the time, was completely unprepared for the war that it had joined in Vietnam. The terrain was unlike any we had ever fought in. From mountains to jungles to rice paddies, it was wet, hot, cold, and completely unforgiving. To say that the political situation was tenuous would be a drastic understatement. Not only could officials not make up their minds, neither could the general populace. The media had an influence in this war that was heretofore unseen. All of these factors were a great obstacle in and of themselves and then we put into play the greatest obstacle of all: the enemy. This was an enemy like we had never seen. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the Vietcong (VC) were fast, agile, adaptable, and extremely unpredictable. The VC hid among the common populace and fought like demons. The NVA were well supplied, well organized, and did not restrict themselves the way many large armies do. This forced us to have to rapidly adapt and develop new tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) in order to counter all of these obstacles. Due to these needs and the rapidly advancing technology and versatility of helicopters, the Air Cavalry was born. The Air Cav was composed of several types of airframes including transport aircraft, attack aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft. The reconnaissance aircraft were also known as Aeroscouts and were known for their boldness, audacity,

In early January 2002, American intelligence received evidence of a large volume of enemy forces assembling in the Shahi Kot Valley in Eastern Afghanistan. Central Command (CENTCOM), led by General Tommy R. Franks, was directing combat operations in Afghanistan through the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) and Coalition Forces Air Component Command (CFACC). As the interest in assaulting the Shahi Kot Valley amplified, General Franks reached a conclusion that a U.S. tactical commander was a need in Afghanistan. The decision was to assign the 10th Mountain Division Commander, Major General (MG) Franklin Hagenbeck, as the tactical commander. In an effort to strengthen MG Hagenbeck’s command authority, CENTCOM named his headquarters Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Mountain and gave it command and control authority over Operation Anaconda. By having command and control authority, MG Hagenbeck would encounter challenges with the command structure. The challenges of command structure were due to CJTF Mountain not having tactical control (TACON) of multiple Special Operation Forces, the Joint Special Operations Air Component (JSOAC), and friendly Afghanistan forces. These misunderstandings were resolved during the execution phase, but rectifying the command relationships prior would have avoided lost time and resources needed on enemy forces and positions. In this paper, I will identify the challenges of command structure during Operation Anaconda.

When it comes to succeeding at anything, it is important to plan, prepare, and rehears the outcome. In a combat zone, this becomes even more important because lives and the success of the mission depend on it. This was not the case however, during a fight called Operation Anaconda. The purpose of this paper is to point out what went wrong with the lack of planning, coordination, rehearsal, and preparation between Air and ground communications, and how it proved to be critical during Operation Anaconda. The ending results were a delayed execution and several friendly casualties.

On December 1, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order that started the Civil Air Patrol. No one, not even its creator, Gill Robb Wilson, foresaw the importance that Cap would play in protecting the waters along the coast from the dreaded German U-boats attacking the shipping lanes. Sixty years later the CAP is still going strong. Performing its missions of aerospace education, cadet programs and search and rescue, CAP is preparing today’s youth to become successful leaders. This was not all that CAP has done. In the beginning of its creation, CAP played a major role in the defense of the U.S. during World War II. CAP played a vital role in the coastal defense of

In July of 2003, 1st Battalion, 62nd Air Defense Artillery was notified to prepare for a twelve month rotation to Afghanistan (Armstrong et al., 2003). The intent was to send two brigade combat teams to rotate after six months in Afghanistan. In typical “Need to Know” fashion, 1-62 ADA was notified that they will be sent to Iraq early August (Armstrong et al., 2003). This is the first time the entire division deployed since the Vietnam War. Battalion staff began planning for several operational deployments for two different theaters. 1-62 ADA Soldiers were engaged in the Global War on Terror, combating Taliban rebel fighters in Afghanistan, and battling insurgents in Iraq (Armstrong et al.,

“At the time of our entry into World War I America was ill prepared for large scale warfare with large movements of whole Armies. The U.S. Army was not prepared with its Artillery and had no heavy artillery guns to speak of” (Hartwell, 2017). During World War I, the Coast Artillery Corps was subject to rapid changes and unit realignments. This signified the beginning of a seamless transition to what would eventually give birth to Air Defense Artillery. The French and British had provided the United States Army with its initial Artillery weapons resulting in no American Artillery brought to the front. Production quickly started on American versions of their foreign Artillery counterparts currently used in

Although the 82nd Airborne was organized in 1917 during America's involvement in the First World War it was during the Second World War that the unit gained its reputation. Its distinctive name was garnered from the fact that members of the division originated from communities throughout the entire country so the term "All American" was utilized and explains the presence of the distinctive "AA" on the division's shoulder patch. The division saw limited involvement during the First World War as it saw service in only three battles but one of the most famous characters emerging from the War, Sergeant York, was a member of the 82nd Airborne. Sergeant York was honored with the Medal of Honor for his efforts in single-handily killing a number of Germans and capturing over a hundred of other German soldiers during the Meuse-Argonne offensive (Pushies).

UH-1H “Huey,” The Workhorse of Vietnam and the development of Airmobile Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures

As an aviator, we are constantly thinking PMSEII/METT-TC. We reflect on the local military, enemy forces, and civilian population. Subsequently, we try to capture the type of equipment, ranges of said equipment, quantity, choke points for the ground troops or aviation elements, and the loyalty of the locals to the enemy or friendly forces, just to list a few. We try to answer all of these before and continue to do so during each mission. As a reconnaissance and attack pilot, I must ensure I develop the situation for our ground and air commanders for present and future operations.

Over the years, America has been involved in numerous conflicts. One of the most controversial has been the Vietnam War. Even though the United States Military failed in its efforts in the war against Vietnam, the military has learned valuable lessons about our forces during the conflict. Anti-Aircraft weapons were used during the Vietnam War, and their capabilities have increased over time to become what is now called Air Defense. Air Defense’s equipment, units, and personnel played a critical role especially during the ambush on Route 9 of the Vietnam War.

The Aviation Branch of the U.S. Army, as we know it today, did not exist at the turn of the 1800 to 1900 centuries. The military did use a Balloon Corps and Detachment for the Civil and Spanish-American Wars respectfully. However, the Army deactivated both organizations after their usage in the campaigns. These artillery spotters and reconnoiters were helpful. However, the leadership did not see a usage for them outside of war. Therefore, it would take someone understanding the potential of air power to open a door for its peacetime usage. This occurred with the birth of the Signal Corps.

When it comes to succeeding at anything, it is important to plan, prepare, and rehears the outcome. In a combat zone, this becomes even more important because lives and the success of the mission depend on it. This was not the case however, during a fight called Operation Anaconda. The purpose of this paper is to point out what went wrong with the lack of planning, coordination, rehearsal, and preparation between Air and ground communications, and how it proved to be critical during Operation Anaconda. The ending results were a delayed execution and several friendly casualties.

The United States Army utilizes a logistics system for aviation known as Unit Level Logistics System-Aviation (Enhanced). This logistics system is used in Army aviation for a multitude of highly important practices and processes required to keep Army aircraft flying. The United States Army depends on this logistical system both home and abroad to remain the most combat ready and advanced warfighter in the world. An important aspect of the technologically advanced logistics system is the ability to interface with all other Army logistic systems and advanced aircraft. Other Army logistic systems will be discussed in this research paper to show how all the different logistic systems work together. Army aviators, aircraft crewmembers, managers,

The art and science of warfighting is an amazingly broad and deep subject with complexities that bridge the technical aspects of war and the social interactions that win them. Whether we discuss tactical intricacies of the battlefield or bureaucratic complexities at the Pentagon, multi-faceted problem sets bombard our branch. The government directed Budget Control Act of 2011 in concert with sequestration, the Holistic Aviation Assessment Task Force, the Aviation Restructure Initiative, and a significant operational transition from counterinsurgency to decisive action are just some of the complex, ill-structured, or so-called "wicked problems" that exist. The second and third order effects of these programs and the consequences of decisions

I chose this book for my first book review for a few reasons. First, to bring to light and to honor the memory of Command Sergeant Major Basil L. Plumley, who recently passed away on October 10, 2012. He is a true inspiration to be followed; a career U.S. Army Infantry Soldier, a Sergeant Major, and key leader during the Battle of Ia Drang. He fought in every major Airborne Operation of World War II, including Operation Husky, D-Day, and Operation Market Garden. He