United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence

The U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence is the United States Army Aviation Branch's headquarters, and it's training and development center, located at Fort Novosel, Alabama. The Aviation Center of Excellence coordinates and deploys aviation operations and trains aviation officers in a variety of topics, including classroom navigation instruction, aircraft piloting, and basic combat.[1] The current commanding general is Major General Michael C. McCurry II.[2]

U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence
Active2006–present
CountryUnited States
RoleTraining and Development
Garrison/HQFort Novosel, Alabama
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The Center of Excellence includes three aviation brigades, the 1st Aviation Brigade, 110th Aviation Brigade, and 128th Aviation Brigade, various Army tenant organizations, and a Non-commissioned Officers' Academy.

History

Most training of pilots and mechanics for World War II army aviators were conducted by the Department of Air Training within the Field Artillery School at Henry Post Army Airfield, Oklahoma, although the Army Air Forces conducted some primary training of Army Aviation personnel. In early 1953, during the Korean War, the Department of Air Training at Post Field expanded and became the Army Aviation School. As a result of the expansion of both aviation and artillery training, Post Field became overcrowded. So the Army decided to move the Army Aviation School to a different post. When no satisfactory permanent Army post was found, Camp Rucker (now Fort Novosel) was chosen as a temporary post. The Army Aviation School moved to Alabama in August,1954 and the first class began at Rucker that October.

On February 1,1955, the Army Aviation Center was officially established at Rucker. In the same year during the month of October, the post was given permanent status and changed their name from Camp Rucker to Fort Rucker. Before the mid-1950s, the Air Force had provided primary training for Army Aviation pilots and mechanics. In 1956, the U.S. Department of Defense gave the Army control over its preparation. Gary and Wolters Air Force Bases in Texas is where the Air Force had been conducting this training. Also transferred to the Army and lacking adequate facilities at Fort Rucker, Army Aviation continued primary fixed-wing training at Camp Gary until 1959 and primary rotary-wing training at Fort Wolters until 1973.

The pioneer African American flying instructor Milton Crenchaw taught at then-Camp Rucker from 1954 to 1966.

In 1956, the Army Aviation Center began assembling and testing weapons on helicopters. These tests were conducted while the Air Force still theoretically had exclusive responsibility for aerial fire support. This led to the development of armament systems for Army helicopters.

In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission proposed that Aviation logistics establishments at Fort Eustis should be consolidated with the Aviation Center and School at Fort Rucker. Although this did not take place, the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center was eventually renamed the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence on June 26, 2006.

Command and Directorates

The Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence (UAS COE), as the U.S. Army UAS Proponent's principle management agency, provides intensive, centralized total capacity management and Unmanned Aerial System integration.

The UAS COE provides "integration and coordination with all Army organizations, the joint services, and other Defense Department agencies to achieve the U.S. Army UAS strategy that includes concepts for current, emerging and future UAS interoperability with all manned and unmanned systems".[3]

The 110th Aviation Brigade consists of four battalions using three different sites. The 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment, operates and manages air traffic control services for USAACE/Fort Novosel and the National Airspace System. The 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment all operate from Hanchey Army Heliport and conduct graduate-level training using the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment operates from Lowe Army Heliport and Shell Army Heliport and conducts combat and night operational training, using OH-58 Kiowa, UH-1 Iroquois, and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. 1st Battalion, 223rd Aviation Regiment operates from Cairns Army Airfield and Knox Army Heliport and conducts flight training using the CH-47 Chinook helicopter and C-12 Huron aircraft.

Training

At the center, students learn to fly in aviation assets to assist United States forces with the 110th Aviation Brigade. Students usually spend 15–18 months in aviation school, learning a wide range of subjects, and finally graduating with their "wings" or Aviator's Badge. When second lieutenants arrive at Fort Novosel after graduating from their commissioning source (USMA, ROTC, or OCS) they secure housing and they attend the two-month Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC) at Fort Novosel. Upon completion, they join the rest of their classmates who usually consists of Junior Warrant Officers that have previous enlisted experience.

Before starting academics, students must complete Dunker training and Army SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) school. After SERE, students transition to Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aeromedical Training (also known as "aeromed") at the U.S. Army School of Aviation Medicine. They learn subjects about flight and the human body. The information taught in these classes is tested frequently by the instructor pilots (IPs) throughout flight school. Flight training varies by student and aircraft type, but in general, students will complete basic flight training, instrument flight training, and basic combat skills training in a UH-72A Lakota.[4]

List of commanding generals

No. Commanding General Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Duration
1
Carl I. Hutton
Brigadier General
Carl I. Hutton
(1906–1966)
1 February 1955June 1957~2 years, 134 days
2
Bogardus S. Cairns
Major General
Bogardus S. Cairns
(1910–1958)
June 19579 December 1958 ~1 year, 176 days
James S. Luckett
Colonel
James S. Luckett
(1907–1974)
Acting
9 December 1958[5]16 February 195969 days
3
Ernest F. Easterbrook
Major General
Ernest F. Easterbrook
(1908–1989)
16 February 1959March 1962~3 years, 27 days
4
Robert R. Williams
Brigadier General
Robert R. Williams
(1918–2009)
March 1962August 1963~1 year, 152 days
5
Clifton F. von Kann
Major General
Clifton F. von Kann
(1915–2014)
August 196328 February 1965~1 year, 196 days
6
John J. Tolson III
Major General
John J. Tolson III
(1915–1991)
1 March 1965March 1967~2 years, 0 days
7
Delk M. Oden
Major General
Delk M. Oden
(1911–1997)
March 1967September 1970~3 years, 197 days
8
Allen M. Burdett Jr.
Major General
Allen M. Burdett Jr.
(1921–1980)
September 197031 August 1973~2 years, 349 days
9
William J. Maddox Jr.
Major General
William J. Maddox Jr.
(1921–2001)
1 September 197330 June 19762 years, 303 days
10
James C. Smith
Major General
James C. Smith
(1923–2016)
1 July 1976December 1978~2 years, 167 days
11
James H. Merryman
Major General
James H. Merryman
(1929–2003)
December 197828 July 1980~1 year, 225 days
12
Carl H. McNair Jr.
Major General
Carl H. McNair Jr.
(born 1933)
28 July 1980June 1983~2 years, 322 days
13
Bobby J. Maddox
Major General
Bobby J. Maddox
(born 1936)
June 1983January 1985~1 year, 213 days
14
Ellis D. Parker
Major General
Ellis D. Parker
(1932–2020)
January 1985September 1989~4 years, 242 days
15
Rudolph Ostovich III
Major General
Rudolph Ostovich III
(born 1941)
September 198922 July 1991~1 year, 309 days
16
John D. Robinson
Major General
John D. Robinson
(born 1937)
22 July 199128 July 19943 years, 6 days
17
Ronald E. Adams
Major General
Ronald E. Adams
(born 1943)
28 July 199412 September 19962 years, 46 days
18
Daniel J. Petrosky
Major General
Daniel J. Petrosky
(born 1944)
12 September 199623 September 19982 years, 11 days
19
Anthony R. Jones
Major General
Anthony R. Jones
(born 1948)
23 September 19989 August 20012 years, 320 days
20
John M. Curran
Major General
John M. Curran
(born 1952)
9 August 200110 December 20032 years, 123 days
21
Edward J. Sinclair
Brigadier General
Edward J. Sinclair
(born 1954)
10 December 200329 June 20062 years, 201 days
22
Virgil L. Packett II
Major General
Virgil L. Packett II
29 June 200611 July 20082 years, 12 days
23
James O. Barclay III
Major General
James O. Barclay III
11 July 2008[6]19 August 20102 years, 39 days
24
Anthony G. Crutchfield
Major General
Anthony G. Crutchfield
(born 1960)
19 August 2010[7]10 August 20121 year, 357 days
25
Kevin W. Mangum
Major General
Kevin W. Mangum
(born 1960)
10 August 2012[8]20 March 20141 year, 222 days
26
Michael D. Lundy
Major General
Michael D. Lundy
20 March 2014[8]6 April 20162 years, 17 days
27
William K. Gayler
Major General
William K. Gayler
6 April 2016[9]17 June 20193 years, 72 days
28
David J. Francis
Major General
David J. Francis
17 June 2019[10]21 July 20223 years, 34 days
29
Michael C. McCurry II
Major General
Michael C. McCurry II
21 July 2022[11]Incumbent1 year, 89 days

References

  1. "U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence :: Fort Novosel". home.army.mil. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  2. "Commanding General USAACE and Fort Rucker" Retrieved on 7 July 2019.
  3. "U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker: The Home of Army Aviation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  4. Belcher, Katherine. "AMCOM's Aviation Center Logistics Command has a vital role in training Army aviators". army.mil. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  5. "Major General Bogardus S. Cairns" (PDF). Army Aviation. December 1958. p. 8. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  6. "Aviation Branch welcomes Barclay". www.army.mil.
  7. "Crutchfield assumes command of USAACE, Fort Rucker". www.army.mil.
  8. "New command team assumes lead of Aviation, USAACE, Fort Rucker". www.army.mil.
  9. Murray, Jan. "Gayler takes reins at USAACE and Fort Rucker". The Southeast Sun.
  10. "Francis takes command of USAACE, Fort Rucker". www.army.mil.
  11. Morris, Kelly (21 July 2022). "McCurry takes command of USAACE, Fort Rucker". DVIDS. Fort Rucker, Alabama: U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. Retrieved 22 July 2022.

Further reading

31.3296°N 85.7117°W / 31.3296; -85.7117

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