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GAO-14-615R 1 (2014-07-14)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaico0001 and id is 1 raw text is: GAOU.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE 441 G St. N.W. Washington, DC 20548 July 14, 2014 Congressional Committees Military Training: Observations on Efforts to Prepare Personnel to Survive Helicopter Crashes into Water Although military helicopter water crashes are rare, when they do occur they often result in casualties. From 2003 through 2013, the Department of Defense (DOD) recorded 22 crashes of military helicopters into the water, resulting in 55 fatalities and 22 injuries. Specifically, the Army reported 8 water crashes resulting in 14 fatalities and 7 injuries, the Navy reported 8 crashes resulting in 18 fatalities and 10 injuries, and the Marine Corps reported 6 crashes resulting in 23 fatalities and 5 injuries. Each military service and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)1 requires its personnel to complete helicopter water-egress training to teach personnel to escape from helicopters that crash in water. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and SOCOM each operate their own training program.2 The Marine Corps requires its pilots and crew members to complete the Navy's water-egress training. Prior to 1999, the Navy provided training for all the military services, but due to scheduling conflicts and a desire to reduce travel costs, the Army, Air Force, and SOCOM developed their own programs, as shown in figure 1. Figure 1: Timeline of the Development of Helicopter Water-Egress Training Programs Prior to 1999 199to20 Navy provides water-egress A F e training for all the military prograrn fo ell t( 2 frln se rvices at multiple an rwienesa Farchild domestic training locations. Air . ... . - Source: GAO analysis of Department of Defense (DOD) data. I GAO-14-615R 1SOCOM provides funding for the Allison Aquatic Training Facility-a helicopter water-egress training facility at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, used to provide training to Army special operations personnel. U.S. Army Special Operations Command is responsible for nonfiscal matters related to operation, training, and sustainment at the facility. For the purposes of our review, we refer to the Allison Aquatic Facility training as SOCOM training. 2Army regulations require water-egress training for all Army personnel flying single-engine aircraft or multiengine aircraft without single-engine capability that conduct overwater operations beyond gliding distance of land, or that perform deck landing operations; however, Army officials told us that all helicopter pilots and crew members receive this training. Army Regulation 95-1, Flight Regulations, section 8-12(0(3) (Nov. 12, 2008) (AR 95-1). Air Force guidance requires Air Force pilots and flight engineers-among others-to attend water-egress training. Air Force Instruction 16-1301, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Program, section 2.2.2.3 (Sept. 6, 2006) (AFI 16-1301). Navy guidance requires aeronautically designated personnel to complete water-egress training. Navy officials told us that aeronautically designated personnel include helicopter pilots and crew members. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 3710.7U, NATOPS General Flight and Operating Instructions, section 8.4.6 (Mar. 1, 2004) (OPNAVINST 3710.7U). GAO-14-615R Military Training Page 1

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