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    When Cutting Corners Becomes the Norm 0 Workplace
    USACRC Editor

    When Cutting Corners Becomes the Norm

    The true danger of normalizing deviance lies in its subtlety. Initially, deviations might seem minor and inconsequential. Examples include skipping a procedural step due to a time crunch, deferring a minor maintenance procedure because...
    Staying in the Fight 0 Military Ops & Training
    USACRC Editor

    Staying in the Fight

    Combatives training is an important part of being a prepared Soldier. It provides the skills to help you protect yourself, as well as your battle buddies, in combat. Unfortunately, this training can sometimes take Soldiers out of the fight if...
    DITY Dumb or DITY Do? 0 Automobiles
    USACRC Editor

    DITY Dumb or DITY Do?

    Just like long checkout lines at the commissary on payday, the permanent change of station (PCS) move is a certainty for service members and their families. While many would prefer to let professionals handle the heavy lifting on Uncle...
    Light Up the Night Safely 0 Home & Family
    USACRC Editor

    Light Up the Night Safely

    Unfortunately, a lot of folks don’t take the major hazards related to fireworks seriously. Some people enjoy igniting firecrackers or cherry bombs and holding them in their hand as long as possible before throwing them — sometimes at...

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    Shadow of a Doubt

    Shadow of a Doubt

    CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 3 JOHN HAYATT
    Headquarters and Headquarters Company
    29th Combat Aviation Brigade
    Maryland Army National Guard
    Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

    In , I had the unique opportunity to deploy with my state’s Army National Guard combat aviation brigade (CAB) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. They required a tactical unmanned aircraft systems (TUAS) warrant officer to serve as an adviser to the brigade commander as well as to be a liaison to the units that would become subordinate to the brigade once it arrived in the operational area. Although I did not have a defined scope of responsibilities — and was a bit daunted by what I thought may be expected of me because I had always worked at the detachment level as a Shadow TUAS platoon leader — I jumped at the chance to deploy with the brigade. I had worked indirectly with most of the leadership for years and felt comfortable with our rapport.

    My first several months were spent in Baghdad doing nothing UAS-related. I was beginning to question why I was asked to join the deployment. Then, about June 2017, I left Iraq and fell back to Kuwait, where I thought I would be able to better assist the four UAS units that were subordinate to the CAB. I was surprised by the eventual direction my assistance would take. Retrospectively, I am glad I was able to participate the way I did. I gained invaluable lessons and experiences.

    Summer months for UAS units (especially in the desert) are when equipment issues typically occur. The system does not like heat and will let the operator know when it is being pushed too far. Those months during my deployment were no different, which resulted in several mishaps. Besides me, the only other subject matter expert for UAS in the CAB was another senior Shadow operator I recommended accompany the brigade on the deployment. We were immediately chosen to augment the brigade safety officer on four UAS mishap investigations, and I became a voting member of that team. One investigation we participated in stood out in my mind, which compelled me to write this article.

    We were summoned to Iraq to perform a mishap investigation for a Shadow that crashed shortly after launch. Upon arrival, the unit, a stand-alone Shadow platoon (their troop was at a different location) that was attached to a Marine task force, was immediately cooperative and helpful. They had quarantined equipment and records, took copious photographs and even prepared a work area for us. Over the next several days, we conducted interviews, reviewed flight and maintenance records and scrutinized photos.

    At the end of each day, we collaborated on our individual findings, which allowed us to see some concerning issues emerging. First, and in my mind most important, we found there was virtually no unit safety program in place. The officer in charge (OIC) was a school-trained aviation safety officer and former UAS operator, but he did not consider the safety program a priority.

    Second, the UAS operations technician, who was subordinate to the OIC, was not knowledgeable enough on the system to make informed decisions about it. For example, we found that one cause of the mishap was a low battery, which caused the aerial vehicle (AV) to malfunction at launch. The operator could see a warning before launch, and the AV checklist specifically prohibits launching with the battery level that was displayed. However, the operator (who was also the aircraft commander) asked the UAS operations technician whether it was all right to launch. The technician said it was OK — although he admitted to me that he did not know why he said that — which inevitably led to the AV crashing as soon as it left the launcher.

    This had us asking ourselves some questions: Why did the aircraft commander not have the confidence to make that call? Why did the operations technician authorize the launch? What was the command climate with regard to safety since there was no program to speak of?

    Numerous failures resulted in the AV mishap. This particular investigation stuck out in my mind because, through interviews and informal conversations with unit members, I could actually point my finger to the problem — or my perception of the problem. The OIC/ASO was blinded by the mission, and that became the climate in the platoon. Safety seemed to be barely an afterthought.

    The ASO admitted there was no formal aircraft commander training program, which explained the operator’s lack of confidence in decision-making. Unfortunately, when the unconfident operator had to look to an inexperienced leader for guidance (or maybe validation), a catastrophe occurred. This could have been avoided if a comprehensive safety program was in place.

    It is incumbent on leaders to provide subordinates with the tools they need to accomplish the mission safely. In turn, it will give them the confidence they need to make sound decisions and exercise good judgment.

    • 1 December 2021
    • Author: USACRC Editor
    • Number of views: 7507
    • Comments: 0
    Categories: On-DutyAviation
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