Photo By Kelly Morris | Lt. Col. Brian L. Haas, 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment commander, speaks to a...... read more read more
The 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment held a dedication ceremony for an Air Control Point “Checkpoint Munger” in memory of the late retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel L. Munger at Hanchey Army Airfield Dec. 9, 2024.
Air Control Points are aerial checkpoints along flight routes that use prominent terrain features to facilitate navigation. “Checkpoint Munger” is now a named compulsory reporting point that any air traffic that operates in the Fort Novosel Alabama route structure must report to Air Traffic Control when they cross it along the route.
Through the memorialization, the battalion looks to help secure the legacy of Munger, who passed away while working as a contracted instructor pilot at Fort Novosel on Aug. 7, 2024.
Lt. Col. Brian L. Haas, 1-14th Aviation commander, especially welcomed Munger’s widow Mika who was surrounded by a standing-room-only crowd in the battalion’s Heritage Room.
“What sets us apart as a team of teams…is (in large part) our heritage and legacy and how we charge ourselves with the duty as current members of this battalion, active duty, Department of the Army civilian and contractor, to live up to that legacy, memorialize and most importantly pass on that legacy to the next generation,” Haas said.
Haas said most do not know the designation of the battalions when they come through flight school.
“What each of us do remember are the instructor pilots that began to fan that fire that burned within us to become an attack pilot. We remember the places where we learned those first lessons, the Hanchey Army Airfields, Hooper and Eck stage fields, and now we add Munger to the list of places where we will go every day,” Haas said.
He said the community must preserve the memory of Munger and all he stood for as part of the battalion’s legacy.
“It is our sacred duty to pass those lessons on to those people in our formation now, student and cadre alike, so they can use them to the best of their ability and when the time is right, pass them on to the Soldiers who will become their successors,” he said.
“This is how we as a team of teams stand the test of time, how we honor those who have made the greatest sacrifice. This legacy is how we continue to make the best attack pilots in the world and how we ensure that when it’s their turn to accomplish the mission our nation has given them, they will step up to the task with confidence and competence and succeed,” Haas said.
He thanked the audience for doing their part to help to mark the occasion.
The 1-14th Aviation prides itself in its training mission at the home of Army Aviation. The unit is directly responsible for training, certifying and producing all AH-64 Apache helicopter undergraduate Flight School XXI aviators and all graduate aviators, particularly instructor pilots and maintenance test pilots for both advanced airframes.
The unit traditionally pays homage to influential individuals for their contributions to Army aviation by dedicating their structures, building and training areas, and memorializes losses by renaming aerial checkpoints and run-dive lanes on the aerial gunnery range, the narrator explained.
The battalion memorialized Munger as a dedicated Soldier and aviator who retired as an AH-64 D/E Apache instructor pilot and air mission survivability officer.
“Dan proudly served 27 years in the U.S. Army…. His military journey began as an infantryman at (then-) Fort Benning, Ga., with follow on Airborne and Ranger training, and included assignments with elite units at (then-) Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell. He deployed multiple times to Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, honing hit expertise in combat operations. A graduate of Warrant Officer Candidate School and Flight School, he logged over 3,00 flight hours and became a cornerstone of Apache helicopter training at Fort Novosel, Ala., where he shaped the Army’s next generation of attack aviators. His legacy as a Soldier, leader and mentor is etched into the fabric of Army Aviation,” the framed dedication reads.
The ceremony also included a history of the battalion and a moment of silence to remember Munger.
Maj. Fernando Rincon, who serves as executive officer at 1-14th Aviation, explained the importance of the ACPs for aviators who fly along “little highways in the sky.”
“We have to call the ATC and let them know we are there. It’s an important point to make sure we are deconflicted with other air traffic.”
The ACP Munger is currently published as a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM). but will be added to USAACE Regulation 95-2 Directory of Aviation Training Facilities and Procedures on the next revision of the regulation, Rincon explained.
By ensuring his name will continue to be called out, the battalion hopes Munger’s life and Army legacy will continue to be a source of inspiration for future generations.
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2024 06:15 |
| Story ID: | 487130 |
| Location: | FORT NOVOSEL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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