CW3 Christopher P. Wilson, Company A, 1st Bn., 25th Aviation Regiment, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii

The Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) has announced its Calendar Year 2004 National Award Winners. Winning units and individuals are being recognized at the AAAA Annual Convention, being held this week, May 9-11, 2005, in Orlando, Fla. The AAAA Annual Convention provides an opportunity for its members to gather with government and industry representatives concerned with Army Aviation and participate in the professional program and exhibits.

The first AAAA Annual Convention was held in June 1959 and has taken place every year since then. In recent years, the sites of the AAAA Annual Convention have included Atlanta, Ga.; Fort Worth, Texas and Nashville, Tenn.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher P. Wilson's sense of duty, professionalism and mission focus personifies all of the attributes expected of an Army Aviator. His proven leadership in combat truly sets him apart. An OH-58D (shown below) instructor pilot with Co. A, 1st Bn. (Attack), 25th Avn. Regt., CW3 Wilson was deployed to OIF II from January 2004 to February 2005. He safely flew an unprecedented 1,270 combat flight hours, the most hours flown in a 12-month period since the Vietnam War, supporting over 350 reconnaissance, security and close combat attack missions. His superb ability as a scout and air mission commander enabled him to locate and maneuver ground forces to seize over 15 enemy caches of arms and ammunition.

Wilson also led his team and ground forces during numerous direct fire engagements, resulting in the destruction of enemy vehicles and combatants, and the detention of numerous insurgents throughout the Baghdad area. In June 2004, Wilson's wingman suffered engine failure. Without regard for his own safety, Wilson immediately maneuvered to the badly damaged aircraft lying in a swamp, located in an area of previous heavy enemy activity. He and his co-pilot landed to provide security and medical aid to his injured platoon leader and the company's standardization pilot, both pinned in the aircraft.

Wilson calmly took charge of the situation and supervised the site security, positioning of ground forces, and the MEDEVAC extraction of his fellow leaders. CW3 Wilson then went on to assume the duties of the injured officers he saved, serving as the platoon leader and company SIP. Under Wilson's leadership and mentoring, his company continued to succeed, flying an impressive 9,000 combat hours in 12 months.

FMI: www.quad-a.org