1-212th Aviation Regiment receives flight safety award

By Kelly MorrisJune 23, 2022

1-212th Aviation Regiment receives flight safety award
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment received the Order of Daedalians 2021 Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award during a ceremony at U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence June 21, 2022. Lt. Col. Edward C. Adams, 1-212th Aviation Regiment commander, accepted the award from retired Maj. Gen. Ronald K. “Andy” Andreson, vice commander of the Order of Daedalians. Adams was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Denep A. Garcia, 1-212th Aviation Regiment sergeant major, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Miguel J. Aguirre, battalion aviation safety officer, and leaders from the USAACE command group and the 110th Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Army photo by Kelly Morris) (Photo Credit: Kelly Morris) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-212th Aviation Regiment receives flight safety award
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment received the Order of Daedalians 2021 Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award during a ceremony at U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence headquarters building June 21, 2022. Lt. Col. Edward C. Adams, commander, 1-212th commander, accepted the award from retired Maj. Gen. Ronald K. “Andy” Andreson, vice commander of the Order of Daedalians. Adams was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Denep A. Garcia, 1-212th Aviation Regiment sergeant major, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Miguel J. Aguirre, battalion aviation safety officer. (U.S. Army photo by Kelly Morris) (Photo Credit: Kelly Morris) VIEW ORIGINAL
1-212th Aviation Regiment receives flight safety award
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Lt. Col. Edward C. Adams, 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment commander, speaks after accepting the Order of Daedalians 2021 Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award, during a ceremony at U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence headquarters building June 21, 2022. The award is presented annually to the Army aviation training unit that the commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command deems to have the most effective aircraft accident prevention program. The 1-212th demonstrated a world class safety program that focused on accident prevention through a multitude of proactive prevention methods and strong emphasis on crew coordination and risk management integration. (U.S. Army photo by Kelly Morris) (Photo Credit: Kelly Morris) VIEW ORIGINAL

The 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment received the Order of Daedalians 2021 Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award during a ceremony at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence June 21, 2022.

The award is presented annually to the Army aviation training unit that the commander, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command deems to have the most effective aircraft accident prevention program.

Retired Maj. Gen. Ronald K. “Andy” Andreson, a master aviator who served two tours in Vietnam and current vice national commander of the Order of Daedalians, presented the award to Lt. Col. Edward C. Adams, 1-212th Aviation Regiment commander.

“Congratulations to all of you,” Andreson said. “The Army and the Order of Daedalians have found you the most worthy recipients.”

Adams was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Denep A. Garcia, 1-212th Aviation Regiment sergeant major, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Miguel J. Aguirre, battalion aviation safety officer, to receive the unit award.

Adams thanked Andreson and the Daedalians for “recognizing an organization that has a well-established legacy of excellence,” Adams said.

“There’s inherent risks in everything we do. Anytime you leave the surface of the earth there’s risk involved with that,” Adams said.

Adams commended his team for their safety program, and the aviators who accept risk and put safety measures into practice. He also pointed out the unit has received the award numerous times over the years.

“We have a good culture of safety established out there,” he said.

The 1-212th conducts all UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter flight training courses at Fort Rucker. The battalion provides undergraduate and graduate level instruction in contact, instrument, tactical, night, and night vision goggle phases of flight in the UH-60L/M helicopters, and operates Lowe Army Heliport. They also conduct the Army’s only UH-60 non-rated Crewmember Standardization Instructor course.

The award cited 1-212th for their world class safety program that focused on accident prevention through a multitude of proactive prevention methods and strong emphasis on crew coordination and risk management integration.

The battalion maintained an unparalleled safety culture using the Army Readiness Assessment Program, and achieved a Class A and B accident free record despite their high operational tempo and the COVID19 pandemic. They flew more than 39,700 flight hours, which is approximately five times the annual flying program of a typical aviation battalion. The unit instilled a foundation of basic standards and risk mitigation in more than 1,300 student pilots, instructor pilots, maintenance test pilots and non-rated crew members across a dozen separate programs of instruction.

The Order of Daedalians is a national fraternal organization of commissioned military aviators, including active, retired, reserve component and separated, from all military services who advocate for air and space power and are dedicated to inspiring America’s youth to pursue a career in military aviation.

The history of the Daedalians dates back to World War I, and was founded in 1934 to perpetuate the spirit of patriotism, love of country and high ideals of service and sacrifice, placing service to the nation above their own personal safety. Their mission includes ensuring American preeminence in air and space power, fostering esprit de corps and encouraging flight safety.

The group presents multiple national and service-level awards including for safety, excellence in aviation, military education and training and other areas. The awards are named in honor World War I aviators.

The flight safety award was first presented in 1970. Its namesake, Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. was a former USAACE commander and Army Aviation Hall of Fame inductee. Burdett commanded the 1st Aviation Brigade, and served as director of Aviation Combat Developments. He was instrumental in developing the role of Army aviation in modern warfare.