IDEAS & ISSUES (AVIATION)
UH– 1
Exchange Billets
An opportunity is available
Exchange billets are perfect venues for sharing ideas and experiences. (Photo by Cpl James D. Hamel.)
Currently the Marine Corps of- fers one pilot exchange pro- gram for UH– 1 utility heli- copter pilots (MOS 7563). As
a method to broaden tactical thought
and expose pilots to other communities and nations, not to mention increase retention, exchange billets serve
as an opportunity to enhance the pilot
and officer corps. Currently there are
three exchange billets available to the
light attack community. With the exception of the Australian Tiger Attack
Helicopter, both the British Royal Ma-
>Capt Graham is a west coast UH–1N weapons and tactics instructor with deployment experience in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He received his master’s degree in
military history from Norwich University. Recently, he detached from HMLA–267
and reported to the Office of Legislative Affairs for the 2010 Congressional Fellowship Program.
rine Lynx and the U.S. Army AH– 6
are side-seated utility helicopters. De-
spite this fact, all three exchange billets
have been traditionally filled by 7565
AH–1W pilots. I do not seek to take
any billets away from other communi-
ties. Instead, I suggest that we explore
another utility exchange opportunity
by initiating an exchange program with
the Canadian Air Force.
