JOB ONE...

From the latest Crossed Sabers available
HERE

By Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert
1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Many a Soldier has seen an AH-64D Apache fly overhead and wished they had had that guy’s recruiter. As Army jobs go, helicopter pilot ranks right up there with astronaut on the cool-job scale. But, ask an Apache pilot what the highlight of his days in Iraq are, and it’s not the Apache’s firepower or even flying that gets them juiced. “Ultimately, we support the ground guys. If they need our support, that’s our top priority,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Terry Eldridge, an Apache and maintenance test pilot from Company B, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade,1st Cavalry Division. “That is the most satisfying thing that we do – going out and supporting the ground forces,” echoed Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daryl Hosler, Apache pilot and aviation life support equipment officer for Company B, 1-227th, from Placerville, Calif. While responding to troops in contact with the enemy may be the money mission for the pilots, they perform a wide range of essential missions in the Multi-National Division - Baghdad area, including reconnaissance, VIP flight escorts, convoy escorts and presence missions.

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The only reason we fly is for those guys on the ground...if we can possibly be there for you we will be...count on it.