FORT NOVOSEL, Ala.--The 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment received the Order of Daedalians Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett, Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award during an outdoor ceremony at Lowe Army Heliport, Fort Novosel, Ala., June 5, 2024.
Dating back to 1970, the award is presented annually to the Army aviation training unit with the most effective aircraft accident prevention program, as determined by the commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.
Ceremony host retired Maj. Gen. Ronald K. Andresen, Order of Daedalians vice commander, lauded the battalion’s safety record.
“Folks, it’s great to be back at Fort Novosel. I’m here to congratulate the Wings of Freedom battalion, the 1st of the 212th. I just cannot believe 36,000 flight hours without an A, B or C accident,” Andresen said. “Keep it up, guys.”
Andresen explained that he served with Burdett, the award’s namesake, in Vietnam. Burdett was a former USAACE commander and Army Aviation Hall of Fame inductee. He 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.
The Order of Daedalians was founded in 1934 as a military fraternal organization of World War I aviators. It was comprised of commissioned officers who no later than the Armistice of 1918 held ratings as pilots of heavier-than-air powered aircraft.
Their purpose, according to the Order’s founding documents, was “to perpetuate the spirit of patriotism and love of country…and the high ideals of self-sacrifice which placed service to the nation above personal safety and position,” and to continue the comradeship formed in the hour of the nation’s need.
The Daedalians are currently comprised of commissioned, warrant and flight officer military aviators and WASPs focused on perpetuating a legacy of excellence and encouraging future aviators.
Their stated mission is to advocate for air and space power and honor those who fly and have flown in defense of our nation. Their tenants of membership highlight patriotism, integrity and character, and include: to place the nation above self, and to be worthy of the rust and confidence of a fellow Daedalian.
Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commander, said Burdett was commanding general at then-Fort Rucker the first time McCurry was here.
“Of course I was in the first grade,” said McCurry, whose father was an Army aviator.
He lauded the unit, which trains the world’s finest aviators every day, for receiving the award for the second time in two years.
“Great work,” McCurry said. “It is not lost on me that those accident-free hours don’t happen by themselves,” McCurry said.
The battalion was lauded for having the Army’s most effective aircraft accident prevention program in 2023. Their program, which focused on a multitude of proactive prevention methods, emphasized crew coordination and risk management integration in daily operations.
Last year the battalion flew upwards of 35,500 hours, launched approximately 60 flights per day, and successfully trained more than 1,300 student pilots, instructor pilots, maintenance test pilots, nonrated crew member flight instructors with no class A, B, or C mishaps.
“The extraordinary accomplishments of the 1-212th Aviation Regiment contributed immensely to Army readiness and reflect great credit on the command, its leadership and its Soldiers,” the citation read.
Lt. Col. S. McGowan “Macky” Price, 1-212th Aviation commander, thanked the audience for attending.
“It means a great deal to me and the Soldiers, civilians and contractors of the Wings of Freedom battalion,” he said. “The scale of what this battalion accomplishes daily is impressive. Launching approximately 120 flights per day requires attention to detail and trust across our formation. We are grateful for this accolade and look forward to continuing to accomplish our mission as safely as possible.”
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