Army fears skilled helicopter pilots will fly away

(EXCERPT) By Eric Rosenberg Hearst Newspapers

Web Posted : 01/11/2004 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON — Army aviation leaders are concerned some of the service's
most experienced helicopter pilots might turn in their wings and leave
the military after prolonged deployments to dangerous hotspots like
Afghanistan and Iraq.

Brig. Gen. E.J. Sinclair, commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center
at Fort Rucker, Ala., told reporters last week that pilot retention
rates currently are "sky high" but that the continuous foreign
assignments were "going to cause some problems"

"I would anticipate that there will be a lot of people making some
hard family choices," Sinclair said.

He illustrated his concern by describing the plight of a senior Army
aviator who watched from afar while his newborn daughter grew into her
toddler years.

The Army major has seen his daughter a total of 12 days in the past
two years.

"I can't bring him back in my right mind and tell him after a month or
two he has to go to Korea for a yearlong assign...

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---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com