Risk Management Magazine

In 2023, I served as a member of a unit that was engaged in a significant multi-day cross-country movement for an upcoming rotation at the National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California. Specifically, I was part of the UH-60M assault company assigned to this training. During our cross-country journey from Fort Cavazos, Texas, to NTC, I owe a debt of gratitude to our company safety officer, who prevented me from making a potentially disastrous mistake.

With the growing need for information at our fingertips, aviators lean heavily on electronic devices in the cockpit. All publications related to flying duties can now be replaced by a kneeboard-sized iPad Mini, which is incredibly convenient. While these devices allow for more efficient mission planning and flying, they do create some interesting questions and gray areas.

Rail remains a vital part of the deployment process. During past deployment operations, the Army relied on contractors to do the majority of the loading. But with the focus on large-scale combat operations, a unit’s Soldiers will be responsible for rail loading unit equipment.