Army Aviation Digest - Feb 1981

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FEBRUARY 1981 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2

*rigadier General Richard D. KenyonArmy Aviation OfficerODCSOPS , Headquarters,Department of the Army Major General Carl H. McNair Jr.CommanderU.S. Army Aviation CenterFort Rucker, Alabama2 USAREUR Aviation - Meeting The Challenges Of The1980s, GEN Frederick J. Kroesen4 V Corps Aviation Participation in Spearpoint '80, LTG Wi liardW. Scott and COL Jessie E. Stewart7 Jayhawk Aviation, LTG Jul ius W. Becton Jr. and SFCEdgar A. Thompson

10 F SOTAS, LTC Robert J. Chiota14 Dustoff Europe, SP5 Monica L Burnham17 PEARL'S20 Fatigue In Aviation Operations, CPT Michael R. McCoy23 Hangar Talk - Meteorology FM 1-30), CW2 Gary R.Weiland24 Dragoon Air Cav Fight, LTC Jon C. Stillman27 Reporting Final30 DES Report To The Field: Anatomy Of The Midair32 Views t=rom Readers33 Threat: The Warsaw Pact: 6'6 And Growing, MAJ ForrestD. Williams36 Know Your Aviators, Constance S. Gibson38 Hello Dolly, G . T. Gos ling and Arnold Mosblech40 Experience, CW2 T. Cowart41 Caffeine , CO L Richard B. Pi lmer46 Last Liaison Pilot Retires, Betty Goodson48 It's Not Fair; Or Was It? CW3 Michael Porter

Inside Back Cover: ATC Action LineBack Cover: Cockpit Cactus, CW3 Robert B. MurphyCover: In this issue: Army Aviation in Europewhat we have done-what we can do-what weust prepare to do, to help USAREUR to holdterrain in defense of the West

Cover by Fred Martin

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page 46Richard K. TierneyEditor

The mission of the US rmyAvl tloo Dlg USPS 415-350 is to provideinformat ion of an operational . functional nature concerning safety and aircraftaccident prevention. training . maintenance. operations. research and development .aviation med ici ne and other related data.

This pub lication has been approved by The Adjutant General , Headquarters ,Department of the Arm y, 25 Apr il 198 , in accordance with Army Regu lat ion31 1.

The Dlg is an official Department of the Army periodical published month lyunder the supervision of the Commanding General . U.S. Ar my Aviat ion Center.Views expressed here in are not necessarily those of the Department of the Armynor the U.S. Army Aviat ion Center. Photos are U.S. Army unless otherwisespecified . Use of the masculine pronoun is in tended to include both gendersunless otherwise stated. Material may be reprinted provided credit is given to th eDlg and to the author , unless otherwise indicated .

Articles . photos and items of interest on Army Av iation are invited . Directcommunication is authorized to : Editor , US ArmyAvl.tloo Dlg , P.O. Drawerp, Fort Rucker, AL 36362 . Manuscripts returned upon request.

Active Army units receive distr ibution under the pinpoint distr ibution systemas outl ined in AR 310-1 . Complete DA Form 12 -5 and send d irectly to CDR. AGPubl ications Center , 28 Eastern Boulevard. Baltimore. MD 2 122 . For anychange in distribut ion requ irements . ini tiate a revised DA Form 12 -5.National Guard and Army Reserve units under pinpo int d istr ibution also shou ldsubmit DA Form 12-5. Other National Guard units should submit requests throughtheir state adjutant genera lThose not elig ible for off ic ial distribution or who desi re personal copies of theDlge.t can order the magazine from the Su per intendent of Documents , U.SGovernment Printing Office. Washington. DC 2 4 2. Annual subscription ratesare 20. domestic and 25 . overseas.


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o one will enjoy the excellent articles in thisissue on Army Aviation elements in European I have. They representa comprehensiveat the USAREU R aviation mission by thecommanders in the theater - thosewith the key responsibility for planning,and execution of the Europeanplan. Never before in a single issue of

igest have the pulses been as significant asBut rightfully so because Armyplays such a key role in the USAREUR ,

today in a peacetime and training scenario, more importantly, in the scheme of maneuverour forces be called to fight.The European articles are introduced by Gen

Frederick J Kroesen in USAREUR AviaMeeting the Challenges of the 1980s, inhe speaks about some needs he believesto be fulfilled if we are to be able to

cope with those challenges. A mostprovoking article which rallies each of. .. to improve the opportunities and capabilioffered by the third dimension .

Specifics on Army Aviation units in V Corpsprovided by Lieutenant General Willard W.and Colonel Jessie E Stewart with some

interesting highlights on Spearpoint '80 Aviation Group 'sin the area of interoperability arerly noteworthy. Lieutenant General Julius. Becton Jr. and Sergeant First Class Edgar A.on report directly from Jayhawk Country.

narrative of the progress made in theof ARCSA III in the 11th Aviation(Combat) and the VII Corps divisions shouldstimulate those units yet to make the

Beyond this, however, theyan excellent insight as to the depth ofd operations in the corps-andin the UK. It is reassuring toead of the diligent efforts made by these keytheir state of readiness.

A very important area of service in USAREURs described in Dustoff Europe , an outstandingSpecialist Five Monica L Burnham. Itin detail the medical evacuation andmissions flown by the 421 st Medical

Air Ambulance) which is based in, Germany, and is a part of the 7th, VII Corps.To win battles, we must have sophisticatedintelligence gatheringsuch as Lieutenant Colonel Robert J.

in 2 SOTAS. That is the Interim-

Interim version of the Standoff Target AcquisitionSystem; and the author tells us of the resultsachieved when the 3d Armored Division SOTASwas placed OPCON to the 3d Infantry Division ,VII Corps, for use in Exercise Certain Rampart80 in Central Bavaria. This provided both forces ,the 1 st Armored Division and the 3d ID, with asimilar capability.As observed during the exercise,he states that SOTAS provides the groundcommander with the most accurate and timelyintelligence flow ever displayed on the battlefield .I n Europe or wherever there is Army Aviationthere is a continuing and demanding need forsafety awareness. For any of you aviators whohave wondered how it could have happened toyou , you may need to take up gardening andplant a cactus or two in the cockpit. Chief WarrantOfficer, CW3, Robert B. Murphy tells you how inhis message on the back cover, Cockpit Cactus.It shou ld prick your safety consciousness.Bidding farewel l to a faithful fr iend and stalwartsupporter of our Army and Army Aviation is nevereasy, but we have that task this month as MajorGeneral James C Smith , director of training ,Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operationsand Plans, Department of the Army , retires anddeparts the ranks of active aviators. General Smithis the last remaining active duty Army aviatorwho began his career as an L pilot , and there isno way to summarize adequately his many yearsof dedicated service in so many positions of keyresponsibility across our Army. We pay specialtribute to him in this issue and suffice it to saythat he will be missed by all who wear the wingsof silver and strive for excellence.

Major General Carl H . McNair Jr.Commander , U.S. Army Aviation CenterFort Rucker, L


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S IN CE THE FRENCH Revolutionary Armies ofth e 1790s experimented with ho t-air balloons, theimportance of the third dimension of the battlefieldha s increased steadily and dramatically. Today thethird dim ension is probab ly more important thaneve r, for if an army cannot co ntro l a irspace, it cannotho ld terrain- and U.S. Army , Europe s (USAREURs)wartime mission is to ho ld terrain. In Vietnam weexperienced the impo rtance of contro l of the air, butVietnam was a war of movement , a nd even thoughcontro l of air was decisive in the o utcome of manybattl es, it did not assure ultimate victory. The finalvictory in that war was achieved bec ause the so uthfailed to ho ld terrain , in part because the south s airfleet was des t royed o n the ground in th e wak e of theadvancing North Vietnamese Army a nd was notavailab le to prov ide the assistance promised by aninvestment in airpower.

Th e mo dern Eur opea n battlef ield will be o ne inwhich th e control of a irspace is ex pected to be hot lyco nt es ted and in whi ch a ir and antiair sys tems w illplaya c rucial ro le. Given o ur cur re nt tec hn o logy, it isdifficult to co nce ive of a conventional European battle,a battle that for us will be essentially de fensive, inwhich bo th fixed and rotary wing aircraft will nopl aya majo r role. Mobility of the defensive fo rc es willbe as necessa ry as mobility for th e aggressor, and theattac k helico pt er will provide o ne of the essentia lfo rc e multipliers needed to e nable us to fight o utnumbered and win. Th e recent ARCSA (Av iatio n Req uire-me nt s fo r th e Combat Structure of th e Army) st ud iesrecognized th ese req uirements and pointed to theneed fo r more and improved helico pt ers. It is easy toargue that where he lico pt ers a re concerned, more isbet te r.

Today USAR EU R is in the ea rly stages o f a massiveforce modernization program. We need to modernize,and I have been quoted freely of late as hav in g sa idthat o ur eq uipm e nt in Europe is obso le te. I recogniz ethat ev e ry complex product that requires massproduction is obso lete in some regard befo re its fullimpact ca n be achieved, but this does not excuse thefac t that we ha ve ta nk s personnel carriers, ar t ille ryand he licopters that are tec hn o logica lly o utdated bydecades. I recognize too that we hav e to choose froma myriad of difficul t a lternat ives with regard to forcemoder niza tion, questioning the cost aga inst theconsequences of obso lesce nce and reconciling wantswith ne eds.

Pe rhaps the first SA R EUR priority for co nsideration by th e Aviation Resea rc h and Dev e lop m e nt

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is the recognition of the need to see.who has spent more than a few weeks in

Central Europe can attest to the vicissitudes ofthat will impact on any war fought in the

g ion. The cycle of day and night during the longghts of winter provides 14 hours of darkness; smoke

dust, which any war can gene rate on a grandand fog and rain so common in all of Northern

will a lso reduce visibi lity. All of these factorsimpede the use of airpower in the European

until we have new technology in the field whichus to see through them. Succeeding generations

have improved the pilot's ability to fly invisibility, and , technologica lly we expect

trend to continue. The cost is high in terms ofbut dollar cost here is outweighed by theof increased availability and versatility of airWe need attack units and utility and supportthat are all-weather and 24-hour capable ifare to remain effective in Europe .

A second USAREUR need is that of aviation docand training. Greater emphasis is required on

How of employing aviation assets, for the tacticalhelicopters has too long been subordi

to technical measures involved with safety ofWe need to look more to technology to enhancein order to a llow us to make better use of the

and diligent minds that are developing effectivedoctrine. Safety cannot be overlooked, but

r ison etre of our helicopter force is served onlyf we become more concerned with its combat role.

USAREUR is a dynamic organization where aviatorsfind challenge, purpose, professional fulfillmenta clearly defined mission. f we can execute our

programs, the contribution and roleaviators will continue to increase.We have ten attack companies in theater now, and

to add more in the 1980s. Our medium helicoptercombat support aviation companies will a lmost

in number within the new few years, and theCobra and the UH-60 Black Hawk will soon be

1981

o b ~ T W missiles 2) guide o t rget duringlive fire exercise

arnvIng. We are conducting frequent combinedexercises with our NATO Allies to add greater challengeto training and greater versati li ty to the fleet. Duringlast fall's maneuvers in the British exercise Spearpoint,our 295th Medium Helicopter Company from ColemanBarracks in Mannheim transported more than 10,000British Soldiers in simulated combat operations. Otherrealistic training is provided by a program of no-notice gunnery exercises in which our attack helicopterunits move from their home stations to the Grafenwoehrtraining area for a 2-hour sh oo tout in a realistic live-fire test of their ability to locate. identify and engage asimulated enemy armored force. It's expensive, butit's exciting and it is first class train in g.

Army Aviation has a vital role in plans that affectboth the U. S. Army in Europe and the defense of theWest. I hope that Army aviators throughout the worldwill continue to strive to improve the opportunitiesand capabilities offered by the third dimension andthat many of you will want to be part of the day-to-dayactivities that support and enhance USAREUR's rolein deterrence and defense.

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EXIBlLITY responsivene s and reliability arenecessary characteristics of a military force engagedin modern warfare . V Corps aviation is ready to meetthese challenges in its own or any other sector, workingfor either U.S. or Allied commanders - efficientlyand safely. Our aviation units were privileged to plan ,execute and experience these responsibilities duringthe recent Autumn Forge series of exercises in 1980.but under a unique set of circumstances. There were210 U.S. helicopters assembled near Hannover, WestGermany, in September. Their mission - to operateunder control of the 1st British Corps. Employingnap-of-the-earth (NOE) tactics in an unfamiliar area,.S. pilots flew AOO hours with zero mishaps in a 16day period.

Traditionally during the annual Return of Forcesto Germany REFORGER). V Corps and VII Corpsof the United States Army, Europe USAREUR)alternate responsibilities. One corps participates in afield training exercise (FTX) and the other conductsa command post exercise CPX). V Corps, during itsCPX this time, was given the unique opportunity toparticipate and experience firsthand interoperabilitywith Allied forces of the Northern Army Group in anexercise called Spearpoint 80. This exercise was thelargest British operation on the continent since WorldWar II.

Planning for Spearpoint was a greater challengethan for previous exercises. The extended distancesbetween the exercise area and the aviation unitshome stations caused most problems, but varyingcommand and staff techniques between the differentnationalities also provided some anxious moments.However, during the planning phase interoperabilityprocedures were developed which later proved highlysuccessful. The resulting benefit from these initialdifficulties was that V Corps aviation units were ableto deploy with less detailed plans than are traditionalfor an exerci e of this magnitude. Flexibility andgeneral preparedness were therefore given a real test.

Perhaps the greatest challenge was faced by the12th Combat Aviation Group (CAG) headquarters.A three-battalion task force, placed under the 12thCAG by USAREUR order, was comprised of elementsfrom 14 different organizations - nine with which12th CAG has no normal peacetime command relationship. In some cases control was chopped en route,and some units were given their precise locations byradio just prior to landing. After assembling, unitswere briefed, issued maps and sent to work. The 12thCAG indeed validated doctrine that an aviation groupheadquarters can accept, control and employ severalbattalions on short notice - anywhere.

Within the 1st British Corps Headquarters, a U.S.Army Air Support Operations Center was established.This center, a compact but well-designed mobile facility,



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were with some ' ~ M - ' ' ' . - , - ' ' ' ' I f ~ , . > r remarked that there was a of a communica-

n r f , > t \ i p r Y I with the American version of the King'sU.S. aviators also had to do some adjusting.didn't know at the start that cleared to joinfor the third mate. meant in American to

enter land These

Combat Aviation Battalion2d Armored Division, aL TX. About 40

division's

tactics ande x ~ h c m , Q ; e could prove very

' ' ' ' > rT l t 'Y l a situation when familiarizationis limited.

attack.Elements of the 59th Air Traffic Control Battalion,a USAREUR asset. were to the 12th Group

commander for air traffic control. The 250within the exercise area weret n l l n U i ' , n n weather hrl ,p t ' I ' lCfo ;odissemination urgent aeronautical informa-a vital role in and ground

movement than 1 movements ofaircraft were controlled at Hildesheim theincident. Their and

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to assess the map s pilot acceptance and effect iveness.The survey results confirmed initial impressions thatthe 1: 100 000 scale map was the preferred size. T heafter-action report recommended that a study be madeto determine the feasibility of making this sc a le mapavai lab le for U.S. Army tactical helicopter navigation.

T rai nin g with other NATO forces and ou t-of-sectoroperat io ns are always prime methods of enhancingo ur combat effectiveness . Working with the Britishprovided V Corps aviators an outstanding opportunityto ex per ience Allied procedures and operatio ns Excha nging new tec hni q ues with the British fine tuningof contingency plans. and perfecting implementationof NATO Standardization Agreements a ll combinedto greatly imp rove the overall A llied combat readiness.Intensively managed and task organized all aviationunits provided flexible. responsive and reliable aviationsupport while maintaining an un blemished safety reco rd.

CH 47s of the 295th Aviation Company lift 44 British combattroops and a land rover into a landing zone n NorthernGermany during REFORGER 198 exercise Spearpoint

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J :E UNITED STATES Army's VII Corps existsfor only one reason; To be prepared at all times to goto war; to fight ; and to win " This is no easy task initself considering that the VII Corps area of responsibility is spread out over a 30,000 square mile area ofthe southern part of Germany, making it the largestcorps area in the United States Army. Bordered byfQur other countries including Warsaw Pact nationsEast Germany and Czechoslovakia and with about70,000 military personnel, the corps is charged withthe responsibility of ensuring that the defensive postureof the VII Corps area is maintained under the generaldefense plan of the NATO Command in WesternEurope.

Army Aviation plays a vital role in the defense ofWestern Europe today and nowhere is it more apparentthan in Jayhawk Country. " Strategically deployedthroughout the VII Corps area to provide combataviation support when and i the need arises are thefollowing aviation elements:

The SOlst Aviation Battalion (Combat) of the 1stArmored Division is located at Ansbach, Germany.The 3d Aviation Battalion (Combat) of the 3d InfantryDivision is headquartered at Kitzingen. Both combataviation battalions of the divisions are comprised oftwo attack helicopter companies each , one combatsupport aviation company, a general ~ p p r t aviationcompany and an aviation unit maintenance (AVUM)company.

The Air Cavalry Attack Troop and the Air CavalrySupport Troop of the 2d Armored Cavalry Regimentare headquartered in Nuernberg, Germany. In additionto its routine aviation training and support requirements,the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment is tasked to providea 36S-day-a-year real world" mission of airbornesurveillance of a 420-mile stretch of the East Germanand Czechoslovakian border, a vital role in the defensivenetwork of NATO.


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In addition, the forward element of the famousBig Red One 1st Infantry Division has a traditional

brigade aviation section stationed at Goeppingen. The 394th Aviation Intermediate Maintenance

(AVIM) Battalion located at Nellingen, Germany ispart of the Corps 2d Support Command and providesdirect / general aircraft maintenance support to themore than 425 aircraft assigned to VII Corps su bordinate commands.

This high volume of complicated aircraft is a farcry from what the old veteran saw in the corps 20years ago. In those days, divisions had combatcommands each with its own aviation section, usuallyconsisting of two OH-13 Sioux helicopters. The totalaircraft found within a corps in those days was just afraction of what is found in an armored or mechanizeddivision today.

In the very early 1960s, the armored cavalry regimenthad OH-13, L-19 (0-1 Bird Dog) and a few OV-IAMohawk aircraft. There wasn't an armed aircraftanywhere. The corps might have had CH-21 Shawneeor CH-34 Choctaw helicopter units for moving cargoor conducting airmobile operations. But it was a farcry from th e sophisticated aircraft and weaponryfound within the corps aviation units of today.

The most recent addition of aviation assets to theVII Corps family has been the 11th Aviation Group(Combat) , which joined the corps from the U.S. Army,Europe (USAREUR) on 17 November 1979. Headquartered in Schwaebisch Hall, Germany, the 11 thGroup consists of the 223d Aviation Battalion (Combat),with plans calling for the addition of an attack helicopterbattalion. Assigned within the 223d Aviation Battalionare the 25th General Support Aviation Company and

the 48th Assault Helicopter Company, both locatedat Echterdingen Army Airfield outside of Stuttgart,and the 180th Big Windy (CH-47 Chinook Companysituated at Schwaebisch Hall. The addition of the11 th Aviation Group has provided a new dimensionto VII Corps' operational capabilities.

This addition was part of a long-range concept toreorganize and upgrade aviation within the Army.Known as ARCS A (Av iation Requirements for theCombat Structure of the Army), the reorganizationof the aviation force structure was scheduled in phasesover a period of years. ARCSA planning and implementation has solved many of the problems that hadtraditionally impeded full implementation of ArmyAviation capabilities in Europe. ARCSA III implementation within VII Corps will be completed withthe addition of a second medium lift helicopter companyto the 11 th Aviation Group during fiscal year (FY)1982. Long-range ARCSA planning also will add theattack helicopter battalion to the corps during themid-1980s. These additions- along with new andmodified aircraft systems such as the OH-58C Kiowa(scout); modernization of the CH-47D fleet; the additionof the UH-60A Black Hawk (the 48th Aviation Companyof the 11 th Aviation Group is scheduled to receivethe Black Hawk during FY 1981 ; and the eventualaddition of the advanced attack helicopter (AAH) tothe aviation inventory in the mid-1980s - will allowboth VII Corps and other USAREUR aviation unitsto continually improve their aviation capability andattain the goal of complete integration into the combinedarms team.

Although aviation units train year-round in Germanywith numerous gunnery training exercises and field

the 18 th viation Company drop into a landing zone to make an airmobile


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aviation unitstrain and exhibit their wares

REFORGER 80. The RE-1 0 I I ~ r l l ~ I S via a tactical instrument route set up

the 59th Air Traffic Control Battalion.of the mission, the

was released and returnedIllesheim.

Another '-' ' ' '(UUILI \.IS

Subaltern '-''-' ... , v.

section, , n t , ' n - r tp

home station at

up with Air Force A-IO numerous air soil.attack team air missions. JAAT is a combinationof attack and the AirForce close air .-, ..

new dimension to the battlefield and nrt\\f l l l l- < :outstanljlnl.g tank available tofare.

additionFTX Certainunits make maximum use ranges atGrafenwoehr, Hohenfels and Wildfleckenand sustain their tank One such

exercise is the Seventh ArmyCommand's aerial gunnery program, wherean attack alerted

anone recent a from Charlie

L O m ~ a n y 501s1 Aviation Battalion of 1st ArmoredDivision, new to Grafenwoehr Airfield to reinforceAviation Battalion of V 3d Armored

Division. At the same time, CH-47s of the 11 th Aviationand

501ston the tactical situation

exercise to date. The combat readiness of bothcorps this ''',who the n ~ I J C ( ) D i e r S

aviationunheralded. behindthe mechanics;

these fine men and women. V I I aviationstand to make their contribution toward

and freedom Western

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S T AS HAS BEEN used for

enemy forcesinformation

time. The Interim Interim

tions and newaPlplH:atlorlSand modifications have been identifiedThis the

network that allowsll available '''''''''' '.'' ''''

ASIC this is SOT AS.

u s


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as the FEBA forward edge of the battle area) onfigure 2 and attacking south. Their main objectivewas to secure crossing sites on the Donau Danube)River and continue the attack south. The exercisewas essentially free play, but planners expected thatBlue Forces would blunt the attack at the river, counter-attack and restore the international boundary.Both division commanders recognized the tremen-dous capability of SOTAS and made significant useof the system during the exercise. The followingexamples typify the way F SOTAS was used by thosecommanders and their staffs during Certain Rampart. SOT AS Locates Second Echelon Reserve ForcesOn Tuesday, 6 September, Blue SOTAS locatedOrange battalions northwest of W eissenburg- the firstindication of the Orange or reserve forces. SOTASprovided the division with important information formaneuver of its forces and targeting information forAir Force close air support missions. SOT AS Locates Command Posts Sometimesseemingly minor activity can lead to significant resultswhen pieced together into the intelligence puzzle. OnWednesday, 17 September, Orange SOTAS observeda helicopter flying into an area. Subsequently anotherhelicopter was observed flying out. Continual helicopterflights into and out of the area established a patternwhich SOTAS observed and reported to the ASIC.The information was passed on to the fire supportelement and the target area was engaged by artillery.As a result, Orange Forces were credited with a hit ona Blue Forces brigade command post figure 4 . SOT AS Vectors Night Airmobile Assault Onthe 17th, Orange Forces used SOTAS to direct andtrack the movement of their helicopters conductingan airmobile assault in reduced visibility. A SOTASbeacon was placed on the lead helicopter to assist intracking the operation. Direct communication wasestablished between the flight leader and the officerFEBRUARY 1981

FIGUR

in charge OIC) of the SOTAS ground station. As aresult, the assault force was successfully vectored tothe landing zone LZ). However, as the helicopterswere preparing to make their final approach, theSOTAS operators detected movement in the LZ andalerted the lead helicopter to be prepared for possibleengagement. The mission had to be aborted when theOrange pathfinders transmitted an emergency messageinforming the flight leader that they pathfinders)were about to be captured. The airmobile forcereturned to home base via vectors provided by SOTAS.In spite of the abort, the airmobile operation was asuccess in view of the role SOTAS played. Not only

FIGURE 2


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oRANGE

X1 C J 3ST BDE, 31D

X2D BDE, 31D

X35 C J 2 GElPZ GDR BDE 35

~ F E BBLUE

X]

ST BDE, lADX

3 ] 3D BDE, lAD

X4 ~ C D N I4TH CDN MECH BDE GP

FIGURE 3did SOTAS eliminate a significant amount of dangerand risk by providing radar vectors to and from theLZ, but it also warned the flight of impending dangerfrom enemy ground forces located there (figure 5). SOTAS Locates Blue River Crossings. On the18th, Orange SOTAS flew six successful missionstotaling nearly 7 hours. Of significant interest duringthat period was the location of river crossing operationsincluding the destinations of the crossing units. OrangeSOTAS observed two Blue river crossings in the vicinityof coordinates PY 6001 (NEUBURG) and PY 6702(east of NEUBURG). Also, traffic on Highways 2 and6 was tracked as it merged at Donauworth and headedsouth (figure 6). Information derived from SOTASregarding the withdrawing Blue Forces played a keyrole in Orange planning for their imminent river crossingoperations. SOTAS Locates Orange DivisionTOC And Trackst To New Location. Blue Hits TOC In Both Locations.During the early phases of the exercise, informationfrom various Orange sensors including SOTAS wasused to repeatedly locate the Blue Division TOC(tactical operation center). Orange launched severalchemical LANCE missiles causing the Blue Forces tomake repeated trips through decontamination facilities.However, on Monday, 22 September the first day of

the counterattack - Blue Forces retaliated in kind.They located the Orange Division TOC and confirmedthat the detection by SOTAS data passed to theASIC. SOTAS targets passed to artillery units resultedin the Orange Division TOC being taken under fire.This caused the damaged TOC to displace. SOTAStracked the movement to a new location and whenthe TOC was back in place provided targeting information which resulted in another successful strike byBlue (figure 7). SOTAS Locates CP Controlling Major NightCounterattack. The Orange Forces after-action reportfor the night of 23 September 1980 credits SOTAS forlocating the Blue Forces command post (CP) at the2

ORANGESOTAS

ORANGEFORCES

FEBAFIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

BLUEFORCES

BLUEFORCES

time it was controlling a major night counterattack.The CP was targeted immediately resulting in theapparent disruption of command and control andfailure of the counterattack . The counterattack forcewas also discovered by SOTAS, immediately takenunder fire and put out of action. As can be readily seen by the examples highlightedabove, P SOTAS provided the division commander asystem critically needed to fill ou t his arsenal ofweapons. Evidence that SOTAS enables the commanderto maximize use of firepower at his disposal can beseen in comments by the intelligence and operationsoffices of both divisions at the conclusion of ExerciseCertain Rampart.

SOT S s the best and usually the only stationfor targeting enemy Reserv e) forces.V SOT S s the best system for real time targetingprovides most timely information.

I' SOT S s a unique division asset capable ofdetecting and tracking enemy forces mo ving underconditions of radio silence.Both divisions clearly identified the link to maneuverbrigades as a must, especially if they are to take fullU.S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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BLUEFORCES

RIV R\.ORANGESOTAS

21

OR NGEFORCES

FIGURE

FEBA

FIGURE 7

advantage of SOTAS capability.

LUESOl S

After reading this article it is hoped that you haveobtained a better understanding of what SOTAS isand how it is being employed. As the full understanding

of SOTAS capabilities is obtained, only the imagination of the user limits employment of this combatintelligence source. It is a far-reaching intelligencegathering vehicle that will be used nd combinedwith other intelligence sources provides the groundcommander with the most accurate and timely intelligence flow ever displayed on the battlefield.It provides the Army with a target acquisitioncapability that can be used to test and refine theoperational and organizational concepts needed tobetter fulfill the tactical requirement.

This briefly describes the P SOTAS. The researchand development program scheduled to replace the PSOTAS is currently in full-scale engineering development and will be going into production in the mid-1980s. Some of the improved features (figure 8) include:

Advanced radar capable of operating in the electronic countermeasure threat environment of the mid-1980s and beyond. A significant increase in the range and accuracyof the radar. Improved performance of airborne platforms byusing the modified Black Hawk EH-60 (for each perdivision system). Antijam data link transmitting simultaneously tomany ground stations.

Editor's note: The SOTAS program is supported inEurope by a field office established by the SOTASProject Manager. It is manned by LTC Chiota. fadditional information is desired on P SOTAS or thefollowon replacement program, please contact LTCChiota at the European Field Office, APO New York09403. Also, theAviation Digesthas published articleson SOTAS in the May and October 1980 issues. Copiesof these articles may be obtained by writing: Editor,U.s. rmy Aviation Digest P.O. Drawer P, Ft. Rucker, AL 36362; or calling AUTOVON 558-6680, commerciaI205-255-6680.

FIGURE 8

FEBRUARY 1981 13


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NARMY AVIAT ON medevac (medical evacuation) unit is a strange bird It is both a medical and anaviation unit, bringing together two highly technicalbut vastly different fields:A close look at the work of the 421 st MedicalCompany (Air Ambulance), Nellingen, Germany,reveals that the mixture of aviation and medicine isbeneficial because efficient, professional health careis combined with the speed and safety of helicoptertransportation.

Dustoff Europe is the name used to identify the421st, a battalion-equivalent aviation headquartersunder the 7th Medical Command. Lieutenant ColonelWalter L Berry Jr. is company commander.In fiscal year 1980, there were 3,335 hours flown on1,609 missions. The caliber of duty performance isoffered by two Dustoff Europe units having won the1980 U.S. Army, Europe Regional AAAA (Army Aviation Association of America) Aviation Unit of theYear award.The company's job is providing aeromedicalevacuation and the emergency movement of medicalpersonnel, equipment and supplies to meet criticalrequirements and includes the support of field training.

Major training areas, like Hohenfels, are givenmedevac coverage; and many types of exercises, suchas REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany), are

PT Scott Wells navigatesduring a mission

u s ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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supported by the Dustoff units. This experience provides421st personnel with valuable opportunit ies to performtheir wartime mission in an actual tactical situation.Not all medevac requests are for American militaryunits and their people, however. Some of the missionsflown are in support of the local German community.The Germans have a truly excellent air rescue systemthroughout the Federal Republic. But when a situationevolves that they cannot respond to because of poorweather conditions or lack of assets readily available,the German Rescue Center of Goch contacts theJoint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) at RamsteinAir Base which notifies the Dustoff unit closest to theemergency. Many of these missions are from ruralareas without a hospital. Schweinfurt, the home ofthe 2/ 421st Medica l Company (AA), is such an area.Recently, that unit was presented an award by themayor of Hassfurt in appreciation and recognition ofthe numerous medevac's flown in support of thatcommunity.Anytime a medevac is requested, the expertise ofboth medical and aviation professionals is put to use.The physician determines the status of the patientand requests the mission to be classified as routine,priority or urgent. The pilot checks the weather anddecides whether the flight is a go/ no-go. Although allDustoff pilots are trained for night as well as IFR(instrument flight rules) flight, they can be limited by

ustoff units spend considerable time n the field

FEBRUARY 98

factors such as icing and turbulence.Safety is a major concern of everyone in DustoffEurope. Chief Warrant Officer, CW2, Joseph Hoy ,Dustoff Europe aviation safety officer, remarked, Ithink the people in the 421st are some of the mostsafety conscious people I've ever worked with. Thisis evident in the fact that Dustoff has flown accidentfree since March 1975.But accident-free flying takes more than safetyconscious individuals. Behind every successful medevacunit is a highly skilled, dedicated and efficient aircraftmaintenance section. The aircraft maintenance peopleare always there - fixing, checking, repairing, replacing, cleaning and dou ble-checking every part of everyone of the 49 UH-l Huey helicopters in Dustoff Europe.

How do the Soldiers feel about being part of Dustoff?It is the most rewarding job in Europe, crewchiefSergeant Glenn Whitt said. Sergeant Joseph Fifer, afellow crewchief, added, It is rewarding becausewhat we do is closer to our actual combat missionthan any other training method.

On the medical side, Specialist Five Jeffrey Saffoldexplained, When I first got to Germany , I chose tobe stationed at 97th General in Frankfurt. I had justcome from a hospital in the United States and wantedto continue hospital duty. When I got here and foundout what the job consisted of, I was thrilled. Theresponsibility involved with this job is a challenge. I

Behind everysu essful medevacis highly skilleddedicated andefficient aircraftm inten nce section

5


18/52

want to meet that challenge and exceed if possible. Ilove people and dealing with people, which fits right inwith my job of caring for them. I love it so much that,hopefully, my upcoming PCS [permanent change ofstation I to Ft. Carson will place me in a similar job asan air ambulance aidman.Dustoff aviators use adjectives like satisfying andchallenging to describe their work.Chief Warrant Officer, CW2, Jeffrey Crisp, 4/ 421 st

Medical Company located at Darmstadt, said thatflying medevac's is very rewarding. "I know I'm helpingsomeone who needs my help, and I enjoy doing that.

Chief Warrant Officer, CW3, Robert Scott, whorecently came to Dustoff Europe, compares his jobwith flying MAST (Military Assistance to Safety andTraffic) in the States: Medevac flying in Europe ismore dedicated to strictly military missions becausethe Germans already have an excellent ambulanceservice, both air and ground. He believes the duty isdemanding. He said, This work is much more challenging than some other assignments due to the realneed to fly in all types of weather. This results in thepilots and crews of medevac aircraft being moreproficient in all aspects of flying."

Upon termination of each mission, an after-actionreport is completed. All pertinent information andany significant remarks are entered by the pilot. Theseremarks, possibly more than any other source, illustratewhat a medevac unit is. Sometimes it's comical: Theoperations officer owes us for the dinner we missedtonight " or No problems en route. We need sleep.

6

God save the Queen." Sometimes it is just a job:Good flight, " "easy mission." Sometimes it's concern:Inadvertent IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) three times. Could not make pickup.But mostly a medevac unit is people working togetherin mutual respect to help others: "Patient badly injured

in one car accident - critical condition. Medic andcrewchief worked well together." SGT We1ch deservescommendation for his handling of the situation andhis performance as an NCO and as a crewchief. It isthis spirit that keeps Dustoff, strange bird t ~ t it isflying.

. _1Dustoff commanderLTC Walter L Berry Jr.,and crew prepare to depart from - I i O : ; : ; ~ i - -lhom station Nellingen Germany



19/52

PEARI SPersonal Equipment And Rescue survival Lowdown

Aviation Life Support Equipment ALSE) ActivitiesThe U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) Aviation Safety

and Standardization Board (UASSB) will conduct theUSAREUR ALSE Maintenance Technician Coursefrom 26 January through 10 April 1981 at DolanBarracks, Schwaebisch Hall. This course is designedto provide USAREUR unit commanders with schooltrained ALSE personnel. Some of the subjects to becovered include: Army regulations and trainingcirculars; technical manuals and technical orders;forms and records; Nomex clothing; SPH-4 flight helmet;SRU-211P survival vest; survival radios; test equipment;cold climate, hot climate, and overwater survival kits;life preservers ; oxygen systems; multiplace rafts;antiexposure suits; and the ALSE training program.ALSE School Update

The U.S. Army Transportation School (USATSCH)has been tasked with the responsibility of developing

a course of instruction for aviation life support equipment.

The Transportation School s initial thrust is underway to establish a resident course for which graduateswould be awarded an additional skill identifier (ASIQ2). Military Personnel Center (MILPERCEN) hasalready approved such an ASI, effective with a changeto AR 611-201 to be published in March 1981. Thekinds of ALSE to be addressed are: ejection seat

M o h a w k ~ , flight gear, survival vests and kits, flighthelmets, hfe rafts, survival radios, oxygen masks andprotective armor.

The initial thrust follows the Instructional SystemsDevelopment (lSD) model. This involves a Phase Ioperation or analysis of jobs and tasks, as well ascomparable courses being presented in other services.The Air Force (Chanute AFB, IL and Navy (Lakehurst,NJ are being queried about their ALSE courses.Should the analysis indicate that the TransportationSchool could provide a cost effective and trainingeffective resident course, an approximate time forconducting the first class would be in early 1982.Point of contact (POC) for further information isSFC Gary Parsons, USATSCH, AUTOVON 927-3494.Survival Kit Mirror

A recent quality deficiency report indicated thatduring the course of routine 120-day inspections ofhot climate, cold climate and overwater survival kits,several of the component signal mirrors (nationalstock number (NSN) 6350-00-261-9772) were found tobe broken. Damage apparently occurred during normalhandling of the kits due primarily to the positioning ofthe mirrors in close proximity to metal water cansand/ or food packets. It is recommended that thesignal mirrors be wrapped in protective packing (NSN8135-00-142-9016) and then put in a6 by6 inch plasticZiplock bag (NSN 8105-00-837-7754) prior to positioning them in survival kits. (T hanks to CW3 HaroldHintze, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Bliss, TX,for this info.)

Editor s Note: It also may be advisable to considersimilar protective measures for the small signal mirror,NSN 6350-00-105-1252, which is a component of theSRU-211P survival vest.If you have a question about personal equipment or rescue /survival gear write PEARL OARCOM ATTN : ORCPO -ALSE .4300 Goodfellow Blvd. St. Louis MO 63120 or call AUTOVON 693-3307 or Commercial 314 263 3307

FEBRUARY 1981 17


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PEARL SSPH4 Flight Helmet

Questions have arisen from the field regarding theproper method for removing old epoxy from the insideof the helmet shell when installing a new liner. Somepersonnel have been hesitant and rightly so) to usecertain solvents on the SPH-4 and, consequently ,have met with a great deal of frustration when attempting to remove that epoxy residue. TM 10-8415-206-13- the Operator, Organizational and Direct SupportMaintenance manual for the helmet, flying, protective,model SPH-4- gives you very little assistance inalleviating that frustration; however, U.S. Air ForceTechnical Order (TO) 14P3-4-121 for the Helmet,Flyer's, HGU-39/P (the equivalent of our SPH-4) issomewhat more explicit. On page 5-3, paragraph 5-11of this contractor prepared manual you will findinstructions on the use of the methyl ethyl ketone(MEK) for the removal of epoxy residue from thehelmet shell. Succinctly put, the TO recommendsusing a cloth very lightly dampened with MEK toremove all traces of residual epoxy, then allowing theshell to dry thoroughly-at least 2 to 3 hours-priorto installing a replacement liner.

f you are reluctant to use or are experiencing somedifficulty in using MEK, you may try using toulene(NSN 6810-00-579-8430) or denatured lalcohol (NSN6810-00-782-2686). Although these will remove epoxy,they are not as effective as MEK. (Thanks to MarieKilz, Directorate for Maintenance, TSARCOM, forthis info.)Worth Reading

The following piece is reprinted from the September1979 AviJJtionDigest.. We have had a good res?onsefrom this and thought we would share it with youagain. It is entitled simply The Enemy.I am more powerful than the combined armies ofthe world. I have destroyed more men than all thewars of all nations. I massacre thousands of peopleevery year. I am more deadly than bullets, and I havewrecked more homes than the mightiest guns.In the United States alone, I steal over 500 milliondollars each year. I spare no one, and I find myvictims among the rich and poor alike, the young andthe old, the strong and weak. Widows know me totheir everlasting sorrow. I loom up in such proportionsthat I cast my shadow over every field of labor.I lurk in unseen places and do most of my worksilently. You are warned against me , yet, you heedme not. I am relentless, merciless, and cruel. I am8

everywhere- in the home, on the streets, in the factory,at railroad crossings, on land, in the air, and on thesea.I bring sickness, degradation , and death, yet fewseek me out to destroy me. I crush, I maim, I will giveyou nothing and rob you of all you have.

I am your worst enemy- I am CARELESSNESS.Author unknownQuestions and Answers

Our supply section has been trying to order thelarger AN/PRC 90 radio pocket to replace the onecurrently on the SR U 21 /P survival vest but inasmuchas the pocket is not listed in the Army Master DataFile some difficulty has been encountered obtainingit. We feel that the ne w pocket is necessary for thevest in order to eliminate the problem of damagingthe AN/ PRC-90 radio particularly the antenna. Couldyou please provide us with all the information neededto successfully order this pocket? (WOl CharlesMcKain , HHC 3d Brigade, Ft. Campbell, KY )

You are absolutely correct concerning the necessityof this 'pocket on the SRU-211P survival vest. Theoriginal vest pocket was designed with the AN/ URClOA and/ or RT-lO radio in mind, and was not designedto accommodate the AN / PRC-90 with its folding antenna; consequently, a lot of damage to the PRC-90and its antenna has resulted. Although there can be alot of work involved when changing the vest pocket,there is also a substantial saving in wear and tear onthe PRC-90, which, as we all know, is in very shortsupply, and also a saving on the equally scarce antenna. The AN/ PRe-90 pocket can be ordered off-linefrom S9T under NSN 8415-00-442-3616 at a cost of$2.63 each. f you need a reference, you can quoteU.S. Air Force Technical Order 1451-3-51 (BaseAssembly, Use and Maintenance of Survival Kits )which also gives you instructions for removal of theexisting pocket and installation of the new one.

Could you please provide us with the correct NSNfor the 2-inch Velcro fasteners used for mounting th enight vision goggles on the SPH-4 flight helmet? (CW2Mike Sparks, A Co, 25th Avn Bn, Schofie ld Barracks,HI)

The stock number you are looking for is 5325-00-567-0258. The correct nomenclature is fastener, hookand loop, and it is available precut for installation onthe SPH-4 from B16 at a cost of $.84 each. In addition ,the following NSNs are furnished for the remainingitems used in mounting the night vision goggles on thehelmet.Strap Assy Avionics, 5855-00-125-0762, 816, 3 .59each

Vee Strap Assy, 5855-00-125-0770 , 816, $1.35each



21/52

Sheet, Technical, 7610-00-137-9197, B16, $.19 eachStud, Snap Fas tener, 5325-00-285-6295, S91, $.11eachIncidentally, all of these can be found in TM 11-5855-238-10 (Operator's Manual: Night Vision GogglesAN/ PVS-5 and AN/ PVS-5A). (Thanks to Marie Kilz,Directorate for Maintenance, TSARCOM, for thisinfo.)

We have our AN/PRC-90 survival radios installedin the seat survival kits of our OV-J aircraft. Ourproblem is with regard to the inspection interval forthe PRC-90. We realize that the radios are supposedto be inspected monthly in accordance with TM 115820-800-12, but we have been inspecting them alongwith the seat kits as directed by our commander. Thiswas fine while the inspection interval on the seat kitswas only 90 days; now, however, the interval has beenchanged to 180 days. In our opinion, continuing toinspect the PRC-90 with the kit would result in anexcessive time between radio checks, but we reallydon t want to remove the radio from the kit, either.What is your opinion and what do you recommend?(Carey Smith, AASF # 1, GAARNG, Winder, GA)As you stated, TM 11-5820-800-12, Operator's andOrganizational Maintenance Manual, Radio SetAN/PRC-90, specifies the monthly inspection intervalfor the PRC-90. The reason for such a short intervalbetween preventative maintenance checks is that theradio has a rather high failure rate, due in large part tothe fact that the BA-1568/ U battery is subject toinstantaneous failure. Consequently, it is advisable toinspect the PRC-90 with as great a frequency as practicable. We realize that a commander can legitimatelydirect that the inspection interval be changed to otherthan monthly (as per para 4-9, TM 11-5820-800-12);however, we feel that 180 days between inspections isquite excessive. If you feel that the 90-day intervalyou used before is acceptable, then you might considercontinuing to inspect your seat kits with radio at thatinterval rather than going to 180 days. Anotheralternative would, of course, be to remove the radiosfrom the seat kits and put them back in the individualavio.tor's survival vests where they would be moreaccessible for inspection purposes. Whatever youdecide, we recommend you inspect your AN/ PRC-90survival radios as often as you can.

Is there a ski mask available in the supply systemthat we can order for our crewchiefs to wear duringthe winter? We understand that the Infantry has oneand we would like to be able to get this item also.(John Skinnell, NJARNG ASF, Mercer County Airport,West Trenton, NJ

We were not aware of any such ski mask, but, to beFEBRUARY 1981

sure, we contacted the Clothing Branch at NatickLaboratories (NLABS). Personnel there confirmedthat no such item would be found anywhere in theArmy supply system. They did state, however, thatunits in Alaska have been authorized to locally procureski masks for their personnel, but these masks aresynthetic and not fire retardant. NLABS personnelalso informed us of the development of a balaclava(similar to a ski mask) for combat vehicle crewmembers.This item is made of Nomex and will be availablethrough the Army supply system within 1 year to 18months.

Our medical support personnel say that two itemsin the tropicalfirst aid kit contained in the SRU-21 / Psurvival vest are controlled substances. These itemsare the chloroquine andprimaquine phosphate tabletsNSN 6505-00-913-7905) and the dephenoxylate hy

drochloride and atropine sulfate tablets NSN 6505-00-118-1914). We were always under the impressionthat there was only one controlled substance in thisfirst aid kit. Could you please clanfy this matter forus? (CW3 Jim White, HQ Co., U.S. Army Garrison,Ft. Carson, CO)To get the answer to your question, we contacted

the item manager of the kit, tropical, personnel aid,tactical aircrew (NSN 6454-00-782-6412) at the Directorate for Medical Materiel, Defense Personnel SupportCenter (DPSC), in Philadelphia. We were informedthat the lat ter item you mentioned-the dephenoxylatehydrochloride and atropine sulfate tablets- was theonly controlled substance contained in this kit.

We are having problems ordering replacementfoodpackets NSN 8970-00-082-5665) for our survival kits.According to Supply Catalog C8900-SL, these itemsare coded C and thus controlled, requiring theapproval of higher authority to obtain them. Can thisbe true? If so, is there some other reference we coulduse or any other way at all we could order thesepackets with less difficulty? (Don Marshal, HQ FirstU.S. Army, Ft. Meade, MD)

According to the supply catalog you referenced,not to mention the Army Master Data File, the foodpacket is indeed a controlled item. Since this seemedas incredulous to us as it obviously did to you, wedecided to contact the item manager in the Directoratefor Subsistence at DPSC. He indicated to us that thefood packet should not be coded C and that therewas no restriction on the item and that it could beordered through regular supply channels. He alsoindicated that he would take appropriate measures tohave the C coding removed from the item. By theway, other references to use when ordering the foodpacket are the supply catalogs for the survival kits- SC1680-99-CL-A02, -A03, -A04, -A08, -A09 and -AI0.

19


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aptain MichaelR Mc oy

~ ] I I ~us RMY S IIIY CENIIR

20

M y FRIEND ERIC hadalways been a quiet, easygoing, friendly type and was aheck of a good pilot. But latelyhe d changed. He had startedhaving trouble concentrating andcontrolling his temper. Hebecame tense and continuallyblamed others for his faults. Hiswife had become overwhelmingly concerned about his moodiness,his insomnia, and his eternalexcuse of being tired. Shecouldn t understand what hadcome over him.

The crux of the matter was thatEric had become a victim ofchronic fatigue due to a lack ofcrew rest. In a 3-week period, hehad flown 5 hours in someof the worst weatherpossible - temperatures in the-20s with the winds up to 50 knots,



23/52

low ceilings, and snow. To furthercomplicate his situation, he'dbeen working 14 or more hours aday for 24 days. During this timehe had only one day off. Realizinghis serious condition, bothphysically and psychologically,Eric had himself grounded untilhe could recover.In recent years, crew rest hasbecome a familiar term. And itstands to reason when weconsider that 8 percent of allArmy aircraft mishaps during an8-year period were attributed tocrewmember fatigue. Paragraph5-9, Crew Rest SchedulingGuide, and Table 5-1,Scheduling Standards, of AR

95 1 provide a guide to thecommander for recommendedflight hours and length of dutyperiod. Paragraph 5 9 alsocontains recommended crew restperiods under various dutyconditions.

The commander is encouragedto develop his own crew restpolicy, using AR 95-1 as his guide.The advice of the flight surgeon,the aviation safety officer andother staff members should beconsidered in determining criteriafor his crew rest policy.Now, let's say your unitcommander has established acrew rest SOP which specifies an8 or 12-hour rest period betweenduty periods. And let's say yourduty day ended at 1700, but youend up in a poker game until 0200and then stagger to the flight lineat 0600 feeling exhausted. Wouldyou be violating the unit SOP? Itwould take a wild stretch ofimagination to justify such action.After all, it's your moral andmilitary responsibility to getsufficient sleep and propernourishment and avoid off-duty

FEBRUARY 1981

activities which would preventyou from reporting to dutyphysically sound and mentallyalert. Ignoring this responsibilitycould result in your being thenext fatigue statistic.Types of fatigueFatigue is a self-recognizedstate. It is not the amount of workperformed but rather how theindividual feels. There are twotypes of fatigue- acute andchronic.

Acute fatigue is the morecommon. It is caused byexcessive mental and/or physicalactivity and is a temporarycondition caused by short-termstress. Its effects can be serious,but recovery usually requires onlya good night's sleep.

Chronic fatigue is caused by aprolonged exposure to stress.This period could be a matter ofdays but normally is the result ofweeks or months of exposure.Although the stress may not be asintense as that which would causeacute fatigue, it is a stress which

will not go away. As a result, thebody continually performs mentaland physical tasks without theproper rest, nutrition, orrecreation. The process is sogradual that a person may beunaware that it is happening.Some stresses which lead tochronic fatigue include familyproblems, career insecurity, andphysical illness. The cure ofchronic fatigue can be complexand usually requires an extendedperiod of recuperation.Symptoms of fatigue

The effects of fatigue are apOint of contention with manypeople. Fatigue affects everyonedifferently, but often these effectsare not noticed by the individual.It is even more difficult forsomeone else to determine ifanother person is suffering fromfatigue.

Table 1 gives some of thesymptoms a person with acutefatigue may feel and thecorresponding signs other peoplemay be able to see. In chronic

T BLE 1. Acute FatigueSymptoms Signs

t - : - ~ - ~ - e ; - : - : e - n ~ s - : s ~ - a - n d - : - a - r - : - d s - i r _ e d S _ I O ~ . f r e q U e n ~ yawn ng or sig hingI : : _ : _ : _ l l = : n - , - : a s e _ = _ r a t _ = _ _ _ _ =0 errors sOPPY carelessIncreased reaction time Slow to respond missing radio calls rough onthe controls

Physical exhaustion Slow movement increased effort to carry outt _ : : - - l ~ w . . . : : ; o . . : . : r k . . : . ..::;c..=..o:..:..:m:. :;p.:.;:a:.:.; ..:..:.;:ts of cramps or stiff muscles

r . : . . . : . i t = a b : : . . . : . i . : . : . . . l i t : . . . . y + - - . . . : . . . . F - = . a u = . . : l - . . : . . : . f i : . . : . . : n d = . . : i . . : . . : . n E . g . ~ i : . . : . . : : . m p a t i e n c e temper flareups grouchyUnable to concent rate Instrument scan breaking down indecisive slow

_ i n _ s _ o _ l v _ i : : n g ~ s i _ m ~ p _ l e ~ p _ r o _ b _ l e _ m _ s

21


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T BLE 2. Chronic FatigueSymptoms SignsForgetfulness Forgetfulness unusual preoccupationIncreased reliance oncaffeine alcohol nicotine Chain smoking hangovers coffee addictInsomnia Change of sleep habits nightmaresLoss of appetite Not eating well loss of weightDepression Withdrawal anxiety fearfulness confusion

sense of failureTenseness Unable to relax restlessPsychosomatic illnesses Headaches heartburn constipation diarrhea

vague chest pains shortness of breathfatigue, any or all of the signs andsymptoms of acute fatigue may bepresent, plus some more seriousones as shown in table 2Fatigue curesOnce fatigue is encountered, itscure can range from simple tocomplex.Acute fatigue can be relieved byrest and conditioning. It can be assimple as a good night s sleep. Goodnutrition and physical conditioningwill also help the body recover faster.Recovery time is usually a matter ofhours.Chronic fatigue is more difficult toovercome. It is as much apsychological as a physical condition.In some cases, professional help froma flight surgeon or psychiatrist maybe necessary. Once a person h schronic fatigue, a vicious circlebegins. The symptoms in many caseswill promote the condition. Sleep is abasic human need, but a person withchronic fatigue may have insomnia.Good nutrition is essential, but hemay have lost his appetite. One needsto be rational, patient, and calm yetmay be irritable, anxious, andirrational. To recover, this cycle mustbe broken, but it often takesweeks or even months.A change in environment such as ajob change or a restful leave alsohelps. The problem or stress which

led to the chronic condition must besolved, removed, or adapted to.Learning to leave your problemsbehind or learning to cope with themis essential to recovery.Preventing fatigueThere are several simplemanagement practices which canprevent fatigue in aviation units.

Taking care of the troopsmay be an old cliche, but it is oneof the most important functionsof supervisors. Supervisors shouldinsure that all crewmembers arephysically and mentally preparedfor duty. Physical fitness, goodnutrition, and high morale can allcontribute to the battle againstfatigue. PT is a sore point withmany people but a body in goodcondition can better cope withstress. Insuring that adequatefood and quarters are availablewill directly reduce fatigue andindirectly raise morale. Poornutrition from missed meals orcold food and exposure frominadequate field equipment ortraining can quickly take its toll inthe field environment.

Establishing and monitoringcrew rest is usually theresponsibility of safety officers,flight surgeons, and commanders.However, monitoring duty andflight hours for each person isusually coordinated by theplatoon leader with theoperations officer. These twopeople are the ones who makethe system work.All supervisors should lead by

example. Discouraging late nightparties and card games during theweek or while in the field may beunpopular, but participation andencouragement at moreappropriate times will more thanmake up for it.All subordinates should betaught how to prevent, identify,and cure fatigue.All supervisors should have anintimate knowledge of theircrew members. Through frequentparticipation in their missions andduties and close surveillance oftheir response to stress, thesupervisor will be able to identifycrewmember fatigue.A crewmember showing signsof fatigue should be assignedshorter duty hours and lessstressful missions. Under anycondition, scheduling the samepilots to all the stressful missionsshould be avoided. Toughmissions are often piled one afterthe other on the same crew. Theymay be the best crew available forthe first or second mission, buteventually their skill will bereduced by fatigue.

Crew rest regulations and SOPscan only supply the opportunityfor rest. \Vhile supervisors mustdo their part in preventingfatigue, it s up to crew members tomaintain a mission-readynonfatigue state.

This article was written from a lessonplan prepared by the author while hewas attending the Aviation Safety OfficerCourse. The views expressed in thisarticle are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the Department ofthe Army or the Army Safety Center.

22 U.S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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Hangar Talk is a quiz containing questions based onpublications applicable to Anny AviationThe answers are atthe bottom of the pageo f you did not do well, perhaps youshould get out the publication and look it overo

M T OROLOGYFMl 30CW2 Gary R. Weiland

Directorate of Train ing DevelopmentsU. S. rmy Aviation CenterFort Rucker, L

1. Which example best illustrates the compositionof the earth's atmosphere?A. 78 oxygen, 21 hydrogen , 1 other gasesB. 78 nitrogen, 21 oxygen , 1 other gasesC. 78 hydrogen , 21 oxygen, 1 other gases

2 . A barometer reading of 30 .2 inches of mercuryindicates:A. High pressureB. Low pressure

3. A change in atmospheric pressure of 10 millibars(about 1/ 3-inch mercury) below 10 ,000 feetaltitude can result in an altimeter error of howmany feet?A. 100B. 300C. 500

Z 8 l?ll?d 'J 6Z O I l?ll?d V 8l?>6 l?ll?d

l?Z-6 l?ll?d V 9l?Z6 l?ll?d 'S

v) -L l?ll?d 0 7

4 . What type of front is depicted by this symbol on aweather map?A. WarmB. ColdC. StationaryD. Occluded

5. When saturated air flows over a stationary object,ice may form on the object when the free airtemperature is how high?A. + 2CB. + 4CC . + 6C

6 . In what temperature range does the most severeicing occur?A. OOC through -10CB. -10C through -20CC. -15C through -25C

7. What is the most serious form of structural ice?A. FrostB. Clear ice (glaze)C. Rime

8 . Conditionally unstable air with relatively highmoisture content and some type of lifting actionare ingredients for which type of weather phenomenon?A. ThunderstormB. HurricaneC. Fog

9. Which condition is most likely to cause fog toform?Wind Temperature -Dewpoint Spread

A. CalmB. LightC. Light

2C to 4C4F to 6Fless than 2F

10 . What do meteorologists dete rmine by using pilotballoon (PIBAL), radiosonde balloon (RABAL),radiosonde observations (RAWIN)?A. HumidityB. Icing levelC. Winds aloft

v) qZZ -Z l?ll?d .P61-Z l?ll?d V Z

l?Z-Z l?ll?d I 1 (0-1 W.:ISH3MSNV


26/52

W HEN YOU ARE located close to the "realthing," a surprise penetration by threat groundforces causes the adrenaline to flow faster We in theDragoon Air Cavalry were fully aware those werefriendly forces, but we were also cognizant of thethreat being very real. That is why the exercise, DragoonAir Cav Fight, was so important to us.First, let me introduce you to our squadron.

Dragoon air assets are organized into two aviationtroops: Cobra Troop compares to a standard attackhelicopter company with 21 Cobra TOWs, 13 OH-58Kiowas and three UH 1 Hueys. Combat Aviation Troophas 13 UH-ls , 8 of which are equipped with M-56mine systems to form a mine-laying platoon, and 16OH-58s. Ten of those belong to the scout platoonwhile the remainder of them and the UH-1s form thecommand and control platoon.In the 2d Cavalry we developed a technique forcross-attaching the aviation assets between the twoaviation troops to fit the tactical situation. We callthis technique air scramble" and the result is thateach aviation troop commander is given a mix ofscouts, and M 56 mine birds and Cobras. The techniques similar to the way tanks and infantry are task organizedto fight the ground battle. This gives the commanderflexibility to fight a short duration battle independentlyshould that be required. It also provides the aviationtroop commander with a wide range of options insupporting a ground squadron with its battle. Thisconfiguration allows the aviation troop commander

to find the enemy, stop him with mines, and kill theenemy by hitting him in the flanks and rear with tubelaunched, optically-tracked, wire-guided (TOW)missiles and rockets at the troop commander's placeand time of choosing.

This technique was the basis for organizing aviationassets for the Dragoon Air Cavalry Fight. There areother concepts, unique to the 2d Cavalry, that werealso tested during the exercise. A few that might haveapplication throughout the aviation community willbe discussed before describing the ai r cavalry fight.

The first is a concept called "Foggy Strike," aterm used in the regiment to define a system forgetting aircraft to the battle through marginal weatherwhen good shooting exists at the battle location.Weather history provided us with information that,during certain seasons of the year, marginal weatherwould exist between home base and the plannedbattle area while good shooting was, in fact, availableat the battle area. To prepare for this, a system wasdeveloped that encompassed specific nap-of-the-earthroutes over which crews rehearsed. These routeswere to be flown slowly while passing through marginalweather. Terrain memorization was necessary to ensurethis could be accomplished when the battle started.Additionally, crews were trained to move to battlelocations using commercial and tactical beacons shouldthe method of choice, visual nap-of-the-earth, not bepossible. Foggy Strike, used during the deploymentphase of Air Cav Fight, was very effective.

FIGURE : THRE T forces main avenues o approach. ..... . . . .


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Lieutenant Colonel Jon C StillmanA training exercise which provides valuable lessons is well worth the money, timeand effort invested in it This article describes such an exercise which occurred inSeptember 1979.The fact that its site was along the East Gennan and Czechoslovakianborder added realism to the 4 days of training for the 9OO-member Command andControl Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment (2d Dragoons). The authorwas squadron commander at that time and is currently the training managementofficer for the Combined Arms Services Staff School at Ft. Leavenworth, KA.

Another concept we exercised was the employmentThe Air Cavalry Vee Technique

an incremental approach to bounding overwatch.incorporates the characteristics of control, mutualt and the delivery of maximum firepower. Figure

the basic Air Cavalry Vee. The Cobrascover and overwatch to the advancing orng scouts or guns as the situation may dictate.only radio calls made during employment of the"move" when the scout or section initiates"se t" when the scout or section

and is ready to provide overwatch so thatnext scout or section can move. The platoonnder positions himself where he can best controlThis is a basic technique that has an

number of variations. Though simple init needs extensive training to work effec Finally, we tested the concept of using the air

troops to give the regimental commander aone troop in sector, depending

the situation, another will normally be held inst a quick-breaking threat attack,the flanks. During Air Cav Fightscenario was tailored to test this concept and it

determined to be viableThe exercise, which took place in a valley area

general defense plan (G DP) positions,an alert and deployment of the air cavalry

troops in a screening role along the border. The first 2days were fought by the Cobra Troop and the second2 days by the Combat Aviation Troop. Each commander was given a threat situation depicting a rapidlydeveloping enemy penetration along the regimentalflank and was ordered to counter that threat. The sizeof his sector compared to that normally assigned aground squadron ; and each troop's mission was tomove to contact, find, fix and destroy the enemy insector. Then successive battle situations required theunit to screen, delay and defend in sector.

Airborne umpires were tasked to evalua te platoons,while others evaluated combat service support andreporting procedures. When aircraft came under fire,the enemy force would fire a colored star cluster. Ifan umpire assessed a "kill, " the aircraft was orderedout of the area. Also, when an enemy vehicle waskilled, it would release a colored smoke. Visual evidenceof kills provided tremendous motivation to both forces.

The enemy force represented lead elements of athreat motor rifle division and was simulated by 20MIS jeeps with different colored identifying flags todesignate them as T-62 tanks, BMP personnel carriers,ZSU-23-4 air defense systems or as dead vehicles.This allowed aircrews to spot vehicles by type. Enemymovement was controlled by a squadron cell that alsofed missions to the friendly forces. In some of thisexercise, the enemy force was split, with 1 vehiclesoperating along each of two different avenues ofapproach.

FIGURE 4: THRE T forces trapped and destroyed~ ~ I I I


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t ) t ~ /I t e ~ a 6 u f ?u; etWeapons used included TOW, both direct andindirect 2.75 inch rockets . supporting artillery and. toa l e s ~ e r degree. 7.62 mm minigun and 40 mm grenades.

Barners were established by the mine helicopters andby combat assault teams.During the course of Air Cav Fight, four battlesituations were presented to each of the troop commanders. I want to describe highlights of two of those,

one a disaster and one a success. Figure 2 shows thethreat situation.

First, the disaster (figure 3): The troop commanderwas given the mission to establish phase line Dagger,move to contact, find , fix and destroy the enemy insector. .The threat force was ordered to move alongthe mam avenue of approach, and the timing shouldhave allowed the battle to start south of phase lineLance. What happended instead is that the troopcommander asked the regimental tactical operationscenter (TOC) if there were any friendlies forward ofphase line Lance. The response was no. This wasinterpreted by the commander to mean that friendlieswere at phase line Lance, and he blitzed his scoutingelements to that phase line without searching thearea. This resulted in disaster. His troop TOC wasbypassed, and his forward area refuel/rearm pointwas overrun before he realized where the enemy was.The end result in this situation would have beendefeat of the air cavalry troop and a serious threat tothe regimental flank.

In the successful battle sequence (figure 4), thecommander ~ d e n t i f i e d the threat force moving southalong the major avenue of approach and established atrap between phase line Sword and phase line Lance.This allowed him to structure the place of battlethrough the use of M-56 mines which were laid wellbefore the threat forces reached the battle area. Whilea combination of stay-behind observers and aerialscouts maintained contact with the advancing force,the commander coiled his Cobras so they could moveto predetermined firing positions that allowed flankand rear shots on the enemy. As the opposing forcesentered the trap, the aviation commander hit themwith artillery and indirect rocket fire and followedthat with the flank and rear TOW shots from theCobras. The enemy was destroyed in place.

It was an advantage to have the disaster" developalong with the more successful endeavors because welearned what we were doing wrong as well as what wewere doing right. Some of the major lessons drawnfrom the exercise were:

Movement to contact must be deliberate wellcoordinated and precise. Some of our initial ~ o v swere too hasty, resulting in the bypassing of enemyforces along major avenues of approach.

Verbal orders must be brief, accurate, easy to26

interpret and precise. A terrain index system is a mustto ensure ease of understanding and rapid response toverbal orders. Both the Cobra and Combat Aviation Troops~ s e d ground observation posts (OPs) effectively, andIt was agreed they were essential to success in thistype of battle. OPs were placed on key terrain featuresthroughout the area and on a number of occasions

w ~ r e the first to report movement by the enemy.AIrcraft could then be brought in to confirm thereports and conduct the battle. This technique needsto be developed fully to further enhance productiveuse of air assets in areas not easily covered by OPs.

t was determined that the troop commanderwas m fact the battle captain in this situation and thathad greater success controlling events from hisaIrcraft well forward than from his ground TOC. He

could move to and assess each battle in order to moreaccurately establish priorities for his resources. Even though the Cobra TOW can outrange enemytanks, frontal engagements are not desirable. Therolling artillery barrage technique used by the potentialthreat could have a disastrous effect on aircraft in its

p ~ t h Also, .the enemy force during Air Cav Fightp ~ c k e d up aIrcraft to its front relatively quickly. TheaIr cavalry troop commanders learned to set upambushes which allowed them to attack the enemyforces from the flanks and rear. The critical aspecthere was not maximum effective range but rathermaximum effective use of terrain.

During Air Cav Fight, aircraft representing HINDOs were used in several battles. Both troops had analert procedure that announced the first sighting of aH1i' I?-D an? which resulted in the enemy helicopter'sPOSItIon bemg tracked in every case once the alertwas given. Angle of attack was found to be the mostcritical aspect of engaging the HIND-D with TOW.Tracking was not possible when the enemy aircraft

~ a s passing perpendicular to the path of the attackingaIrcraft but was relatively simple when the attackcame from the rear (figure 5). t was the unanimousstand of our Cobra pilots that a 2 mm cannon wouldhave been the ideal weapon in this situation.

On some occasions it was deemed necessary torisk Cobra TOW helicopters in a semiscouting role sotheir optics could be used to identify the enemy atlong range. Scouts need improved opticsAir Cav Fight demonstrated that the air cavalrycan be effective against a fast-breaking enemy attack.It further proved that air cavalry is an essential forceas a part of the regimental battle group with itsrequirement to fight on a widely dispersed activedefense battlefield.Lessons learned from this exercise should provevaluable not only to the 2d Armored Cavalry Regimentbut to the entire aviation community.



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REPORTING FINALLateNews From rmyAviation Activit ies

FROMTRADOCTHE AIR LAND BATTLE: A Message from theTRADOC Commander. Now that the integratedand extended battlefield concepts are beingassimilated by the TRADOC community, a needexists to tie these concepts into one overarchingdescriptive term. Though the words integratedand extended convey concepts, they do notaccurately describe the battlefield in its totality.They do, however, have utility when we talkacademically or doctrinally about subsets ofthe battlefield. The term air land battle bestdescribes and ties these two concepts, and allothers, together. Henceforth, when we talk aboutthe total battlefield the term air land battle wibe used. Combat developers working on future

systems also need a term to use as a conceptualbasis for the development of requirements. Thatterm will be air land battle of the 1990sGeneral Donn A. Starry

FROM FORT RUCKERGraduation Speaker. Major General GeorgeW. Putnam Jr., commanding general, Army Physi-cal Disability Agency, Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter, and director of the Army Council of ReviewBoards, Office of the Secretary of the Army,Washington, DC, was guest speaker for threegraduating flight training classes.He told the 85 graduates they will share inhelping Army Aviation to realize its full potentialas a combat arm in terms of its impact on theenemy and its support of United States groundforces.You will have help for that task, he said, fromall these beautiful machines, the organizations,the doctrine and the training .

FEBRU RY 98

General Putnam, who has been in the Armyfor38 years, and an aviator since 1956, reminiscedabout the vast forest of ignorance he said hefirst encountered in relation to the proper use ofArmy Aviation.There was a lot of talk about the cavalry,about arming helicopters but there was noevidence ot it ... he said, speaking of the period(late 1950s and early 1960s) when Army Aviation'scombat threat was limited to experiments withmachineguns strapped to the skids of aircraft.I didn't know what I was getting into (when hejoined the aviation team), he said. But you do.You have all these beautiful machines, the organi-zations, the doctrine and the training areas.General Putnam told the graduates thatduring

ADVICE FROM A VETERAN. The Distinguished Graduatesof the Warrant Officer, Officer and Europe/NATO RotaryWing Aviator Classes that finished 9 months' training inDecember at Ft. Rucker, AL, talk with their guest speakerMajor General George W. Putnam Jr. who has been an Armyaviator for 24 years. He has some good advice for, from left,Warrant Officer, W01, Jakob (sic) Primgaard, Second LieutenantDavid L. Patterson and German Air Force Staff Sergeant RalfP. Hampel. (USAAVNC PAO Photo)

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ALL ABOARD. Company B loads seven UH-1 Huey helicopters aboard a C-S Galaxy cargo plane. The Companyclaims to have set a record for ANG units with this accomplishment. (Photo by MSG Frank Bryson)

his career in aviation he found a tremendouslack of knowledge about the role of aviation andwarned them that they, too, would f ind profoundand disturbing things about their new careerfield.What you need to do now is to clear thataway, said the guest speaker, referring to thelack of knowledge he recounted earlier.(USAAVNC-PAO)

FROM DEL W RERecord Claimed. Company B 150th AviationBattalion, Delaware Army National Guard, loadedseven UH-1 Huey helicopters aboard an Air ForceC-5 Galaxy (see photo) as a mobilization readinessexercise at Dover Air Force Base. The operationtook several hours to complete, and participantsbelieve the coordination between the NationalGuard and Air Force personnel was as beneficialas the actual loading experience, since the various

components would work together in a mobilization.(101 PAD)FROM ST LOUIS

ALSE Pathfinders. Work done by the 2d Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division, Ft. Ord,CA, in the aviation life support equipment (ALSE)field has been proclaimed as a precedent forother Army units to follow.It began in 1979 when LTC Tom Trombley,squadron commander, established an ALSEsection in the unit and appointed Chief WarrantOfficer, CW3, John Vasko to direct it.8

Four enlisted Soldiers were assigned to thesection and were trained as ALSE maintenancespecialists. The NCOIC attended the Air ForceALSE Specialist School at Chanute Air ForceBase, IL; and by October 1979 the squadron hada well-trained staff working in its ALSE shop.An informal Division Life Support Council wasestablished which meets quarterly or more oftenif needed to discuss current trends in ALSE andto assist member units in any problem areas.Too, liaison was established with three unitsoutside the squadron to obtain assistance fortheALSE program: the 7th Medical Battalion Supplyto procure and inspect medical items for thesurvival and first aid kits, the Directorate ofIndustrial Operations to inspect and repair theflotation equipment, and the Airfield and FacilitySafety Section to advise on ALSE administrativematters.Under the 2d Squadron's system, all ALSE isstored and maintained in the ALSE shop so it isreadily available to shop personnel for preventative and scheduled maintenance. Before a flight,a crewmember will go to the shop and pick upthe life support equipment. Any special ALSEthat is needed for a flight also is issued at theshop.

Major repairs to SPH-4 helmets can be madeon the spot, and the helmets can be refitted atany time by the ALSE maintenance specialist.The 2/1 Oth's ALSE mission is support and thepassword is good service. It all equals some ofthe best lifesaving insurance Army Aviation crewmembers can have.U S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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dUST WHAT A WAITER NEEDS. Ronald R. Simmonsaccepts an engraved ballpoin t pen from Fran Willison, managerof the Army Aviation Center Thrift Shop, Ft. Rucker, AL. Thisis part of the recognition he received as winner of the rmyAviation Digest s monthly writing award in October 1980 forhis article, The Real Thing. As a service to Army Aviation,the Thrift Shop provides a pen each month for the winningauthor who also receives a Certificate of Achievement fromthe Army Aviation Center's commanding general, Major GeneralCarl H. McNair Jr. (Photo by SP4 Deb Ellis)Assistance to establish a similar ALSE programis available for all Army units. Write DARCOM,ATTN: DRCPO-ALSE, 4300 Goodfellow Blvd.,St. Louis, MO 63120, or call AUTOVON 693-3307 or commercial 314-263-3307. CW3 Vaskoalso offers his help and has conducted someworkshops on this subject. Contact him at Ft.Ord, AUTOVON 929-2006 . (DRCPO-ALSE)

FROM FORT MONMOUTHAcademy Prep School Accepting Applications.The United States Military Academy PreparatorySchool (USMAPS) is accepting applications forthe class of 1981-82 which begins in August.Application deadline is May.USMAPS is an Army school that assists selectedenlisted members to prepare and qualify academically, physically and militarily for admission tothe U.S Military Academy, West Point, NY; andall USMAPS graduates automatically receive anomination to that school.The 10-month academic year at USMAPSemphasizes English and mathematics. Applicantsare urged to apply early as admission is highlycompetitive. Last year, more than 1,200 regularArmy Soldiers applied for the 170 vacanciesavailable at USMAPS.The basic eligibility requirements are simple.An applicant must be: A citizen of the U.S. or able to become acitizen prior to entering USMAPS. At least 17 and not 21 years of age on 1 Julyof the year he or she enters USMAPS.

FEBRU RY 98

Unmarried and have no legal obligation tosupport a child or children. In good health, have no disqualify ing physicaldefects and have vision correctable to 20/20. A high school graduate, or the equivalent,with a solid academic background. Ideally, applicants should have 4 years of English and 3years of college preparatory methematics. Anindividual with obvious leadership potential buta weaker academic background should not bediscouraged for applying since many factors areconsidered.Applicants should be highly recommended bytheir commanders. A Commander's CounselingGuide is included as the Appendix toAR 351-12,dated 1 October 1980. All recommendations fromthe chain of command are closely reviewed in aneffort to ascertain the applicant's maturity, motivation and desire.

Inclosures to the basic application are describedin paragraph 9 AR 351-12. School transcriptsand SAT/ACT test results may be forwardedseparately; however, military personnel officesand commanders should ensure that the followingitems are included with the basic application: Medical forms (SF 88 and 93) not more than1 year old. GT score. ETS date. MOS. Most recent BPFT/APFT results, less than 1year old (baseline PT scores cannot beaccepted). Current photograph . Commander's evaluation. Personal handwri tten essay, subject: Why Iwant to attend the Prep School and my goals inlife.Further information may be obtained bycallingthe USMAPS Admissions Office at AUTOVON992-1807 or commercial (201) 532-1807, or bywriting to the Commandant, U.S. Military AcademyPreparatory School, ATTN: MAPS-AD-A, Ft. Monmouth, NJ 07703.

FROM ARIZONAMore Launchers. Hughes Aircraft Company atTucson has received a $2.2 million addition to its1979 contract to build lightweight rocket launchersfor U. S. Army helicopters . Before this latestorder for 722, the Army Missile Command hadcontracted for 2,020 launchers which are usedto fire the 2.75-inch rocket. Hughes is building a7-tube version as well as the 19-tube model. Thefirst of the aluminum launchers was deliveredin July 1980. (HUGHES ACFT CO)

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US RMY

. I .Directorate of Evaluation Standardization sR PORT T THE RELD VI TIONST ND RDIZ TION

THE N TOMY OF THE MID IRT ANY POINT in time it is possible to scan thesky and not be able to spot an aircraft in flight. Even

at crowded metropolitan airports one is seldom ableto see more than a few airborne aircraft - one or twoin various positions on or after takeoff, while one ortwo are on approach or landing. t is not uncommonwhile at an air training complex to look around andsee only one or two aircraft going their separate ways.However, when one is exposed to the traffic patternat a training base or the gaggle of aircraft at a field siteduring a field training exercise, it is not uncommonto see a host of aircraft concentrated in a relativelysmall area like sardines in a can. Heavy traffic or lighttraffic control must be maintained. For this reason control zones, approach / departure controL andtower/ ground control as appropriate, have beenestablished in all such areas. These are necessary toprovide a safe flight environment and to bring aboutorder out of what would otherwise be chaos.

Still midair collisions do occur, and it is fair to askthe question "Why' " Futhermore, why do thesecatastrophic mishaps occur when the weather condi-tions can best described as "severe clear"?

An analysis of the following midair mishaps mightbe helpful in understanding the problem. They arenot necessarily in chronological order.

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1 A midair over Oregon resulted in two ArmyOV -l Mohawks destroyed. Fortunately, the four crewmembers ejected safely from their disabled aircraft.2 Two Army aircraft collided off the Californiacoast, resulting in two aircraft destroyed and threefatalities. One crewmember escaped serious injury.3. Two Army aircraft collided over a controlledfie