Biden, Buttigieg: Asleep At The Wheel, Blood On Their Hands -- WSJ -- January 31, 2025

Locator: 48450BLOOD.

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Has Lloyd Austin's DEI-army killed more Americans this year than terrorists? Asking for a friend.

US 15-year aviation safety record comes to an end. 

And then they blame Trump for politicizing this?

Was Lloyd Austin himself a DEI hire? From wiki:

• Before retiring from the military in 2016, Austin served as the 12th commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), beginning in March 2013.
• Prior to that he served as the 33rd vice chief of staff of the Army from January 2012 to March 2013, and as commander of United States Forces – Iraq from September 2010 to December 2011. 
• He is the first African American to hold each of these positions. 
• After retiring from the armed services, Austin joined the boards of Raytheon Technologies, Nucor, Tenet Healthcare, and Auburn University.
• On December 7, 2020, he was nominated for defense secretary by then-President-elect Joe Biden and was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 22, 2021, by a vote of 93–2.

If he was not a DEI hire, why was that important to note -- the fourth sentence in his wiki bio -- "the first African American to hold each of these positions." 

And then, of course, the Peter Principle may be at play, also.  

It will be interesting to watch:

• how the new SecDefense handles this;
• the names of those flag officers who signal intention to retire this year;
• who becomes the scapegoat

Maybe it is time to read, not to place blame but to learn how Sec Defense "thinks" about these issues:

With regard to the mishap, exhibit A should be the transcript of the conversation between ATC and the mishap helicopter:

• it starts with the ATC query: "do you see..."
• is that a common question to ask?
• was ATC seeing something amiss?
• was ATC concerned or does this happen often: helicopter and fixed wing a/c on collision course?
• how much time did ATC think helicopter had to react if the two a/c were on a collision course?
• after getting "affirmative" from the helicopter did ATC move on to next task?
• what was ATC's next task after getting "affirmative" from helicopter?

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Chain of Command

Chain of command:

12th Aviation Battalion

• the helicopter was from the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
• pilot: CWO Andrew Eaves, Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion
• to best of my knowledge, as of an hour ago (8:00 a.m. CT, January 31) the name of the third victim on the helicopter not released; but said to be an officer either recertifying or instructor on the helicopter
  
• assigned to the US Army Aviation Brigade (TAAB)
• 12th Aviation Battalion commander: Lt Col Erika A. Holownia.
• she was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer from the US Military Academy at West Point in 2005; link here; 
• primary a/c; flight hours as a helicopter pilot: N/A; senior aviator badge; qualified in: N/A. Bio here; Senior Aviator Badge.
  

US Army Aviation Brigade (TAAB)

• the 12 AVBAT is assigned to the US Army Aviation Brigade (TAAB). 
• Commander Colonel Andrew J. DeForest. Davison Army Airfield, Ft Belvoir, VA. 
• Qualified in UH-60, C-37, UC-35, RC-12, and EO-5C a/c. 
• reports to the US Army Military District of Washington (USAMDW)
  

US Army Military District of Washington (USAMDW) 

• reports directly to the US Chief of Staff of the Army. The training mission, I assume, is in this "chain."
• also a core staff element of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)
  
• Commander, USAMDW: General Trevor J. Bredenkamp

Joint Task Fork-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) 

• operations chain
  
• reports directly to the Commander of US Northern Command. 
• Commander JTF-NCR: General Trevor J. Bredenkamp
  

US Northern Command

• operations chain
• reports directly to SecDefense
• General Gregory M. Guillot, took command February 5, 2024
• also commander NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command)

US Chief of Staff of the Army 

• General Randy A. George 
• support, not operations
  
• assumed duties, September 21, 2023
• reports to the Secretary of the Army. 

The Secretary of the Army 

• as of January 20, 2025, Mark Averill was the Acting Secretary
• reports to the Secretary of Defense.
  

Secretary of Defense

• Pete Hegseth

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