Setting standards for Expect No Mercy

Photo By Darci Brennan | Chief Warrant Officer 4 James Morrow, standardization pilot, 1st Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), prepares for a night-evaluation flight at Fort Campbell, Ky., Sept. 3, 2014. Standardization pilots set the standards all pilots within the battalion adhere to when conducting flight operations. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Duncan Brennan, 101st CAB Public Affairs)  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

09.03.2014

Story by Sgt. Darci Brennan 

101st Combat Aviation Brigade

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Army aviation is a noisy enterprise. There is a near-constant roar of turbine engines, the tell-tale thump of rotor blades cutting through the air and sounds of people – mechanics of all sorts – working on the various aircraft.

The aircraft may be noisy and the flight lines a mass of organized chaos, but in 1st Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the pilots are calm, proficient and lethal on the battlefield. This lethality does not come over night, and AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots are not grown on trees. It takes a lot of time and mentorship from more experienced pilots to build new pilots into the professionals who ground-force commanders expect to find flying in support of their missions in combat environments.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 James Morrow, standardization pilot, 1st Bn. “Expect No Mercy,” 101st CAB, is the senior aviator tasked with mentoring junior Apache pilots within the battalion.

“A standardization pilot sets the standards that the battalion will follow both tactically and technically in the application of our combat mission,” said Lt. Col. Bernard Harrington, commander 1st Bn., 101st CAB.

The Apache pilots of No Mercy follow the lead of the standardization pilot. With so much riding on how aviators train and how well they can fly, choosing Morrow to fill that position was a carefully weighed decision.

“A standardization pilot can only be effective if they have the right balance of competence and leadership,” said Harrington. “I really had to look at two things when I was choosing a standardization pilot. The first quality that I looked at was his or her competence as a professional aviator and whether my choice can set the standard for the battalion. The second quality – and I think this is most important – is that I choose someone with leadership capabilities that can lead the battalion when it comes to executing the combat mission.”

With all of the choices available, Morrow stood out head-and-shoulders above his peers. He had built a track record of being humble and allowed his actions to speak for him.

“I've had the honor of serving with CW4 Morrow for multiple combat tours in the 101st CAB,” said Harrington. “I chose him because over multiple combat tours, he has always placed himself where conditions were hardest for the aviators. Morrow was always flying the hardest missions, the longest hours and making sure he led the formation from the front. He set the standard in the conduct of his combat duties and led others in the accomplishment of theirs. When I had the honor to come back and command Expect No Mercy, there was no doubt that Jimmy was the right officer to be the standardization pilot.”

With Morrow setting the example, junior aviators responded well. The mentorship provided in No Mercy encourages professionalism and growth.

“I’ve been working with Mr. Morrow for about a year now,” said Chief Warrant Officer Kristopher Knue, AH-64 Apache helicopter pilot, Company A, 1st Bn., 101st CAB. “Morrow and I come from the same background as AH-64D crew chiefs, so he has been guiding me through the transition from an enlisted mechanic to a warrant officer with the technical and tactical knowledge as a combat aviator. His mentorship has expanded my view of flying through his discussions about past lessons learned and his years of experience. It’s kind of taught me to slow down, think it through, and build on repetition to become a better expert. After every flight together, he taught me how important it was to review the mission. I get so focused on tasks in the cockpit, I sometimes don’t grasp simple concepts until I talk it out on the ground. Talking with him after a mission is when I do the most developing as a pilot.”

Building the skills of less-experienced pilots isn't just about the crew in the air. Lives on the ground are often at stake when the Apache crews are on station. For the forces on the ground, the pilots of No Mercy can make the difference in the battle.

“Morrow conveyed to me what supporting the ground troops meant,” said Knue. “Troops in contact need to hear that calming confidence in our voice over the radio and getting the job done right, to earn their trust. I’ve learned it’s easy to build a bad reputation inside and outside the unit that can hurt the trust in our team.”

There is no doubt that the mission of the Expect No Mercy battalion is all about supporting their brothers and sister on the ground. It is in this mission that Morrow takes the greatest pride.

“My career highlights have been my combat tours,” said Morrow. “I have done five tours with the 101st CAB, one to Iraq and four to Afghanistan. The guys on the ground do the toughest job in the Army – especially during combat.”

• Date Taken: 09.03.2014
• Date Posted: 10.20.2014 16:32
• Story ID: 145551
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US
• Hometown: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US