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ATLANTA, Ga. (June 3, 2008) - U.S. Army Central hosted its
second annual International Aviation Symposium here this week
featuring more than 30 aviators representing 13 countries from
across the command's area of responsibility.
USARCENT's G-3 Aviation, Fort Rucker aviators along with
helicopter pilots representing many of the countries from within
the command's AOR, led presentations and discussions, ranging
across the full-spectrum of operations. Topics included helicopter
support during humanitarian crisis, air assault and attack
operations, medical evacuations and reconnaissance operations.
The major objective of this symposium was to increase
cooperation of the many countries working together to support both
humanitarian and combat operations.
"This event enables us all to learn from the expertise of
others," said Lt. Col. Stephen Loftis, USARCENT's G-3 aviation.
Loftis added that symposium participants had the unique opportunity
to discuss in a small-group setting the many operations where
rotary-winged assets are used and the inherent challenges that come
with them. Brig. Gen. Tanveer Ullah Khan, Pakistan's 101 Army
Aviation Group commander, underscored this point during his
presentation on the use of rotary-winged aircraft while stressing
the challenges of relief operations such as managing air space and
the lack of an international relief committee.
"The symposium was professionally rewarding because it afforded
the opportunity to gel and exchange views of different subjects of
interest. The mere gathering of army aviation pilots from such a
variety of countries was a learning occasion by itself," said
Khan.
This year's symposium was the second of a three phase series,
originally launched with last year's International Aviation
Maintenance Symposium. USARCENT's third aviation phase will be an
aviation training exercise at Fort Rucker, Ala., building from the
foundation of the two previous symposiums and following a Combat
Aviation Brigade's preparation for a combat tour in Iraq.
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