The Army Reserve Is Gutting Aviation Units. Thousands of Soldiers Are Being Left in the Lurch.
Military.com | By Steve Beynon
Published July 31, 2025 at 4:15 pm
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Thousands of Army Reserve soldiers are being forced to scramble for new assignments after the service abruptly ordered the dismantling of its helicopter units, a sweeping move that has caught commanders off guard and upended aviation operations across the country.
The cuts, which are set to eliminate all of the reserve's helicopter units by the end of the summer, are part of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George's broader push to modernize the force by shedding legacy formations and redirecting resources toward emerging technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence.
But the transition has left troops questioning both the pace and planning of the changes. Military.com spoke with 16 Army Reserve aviators, including commanders and senior noncommissioned officers, who expressed frustration with what they described as a chaotic and poorly communicated rollout. All requested anonymity, citing concerns about retaliation, as they were not authorized to speak publicly.
"There was no heads-up, no briefing," said one senior noncommissioned officer. "Just an email saying aviation's going away and we need to find somewhere else to go."
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/07/31/army-reserve-gutting-aviation-units-thousands-of-soldiers-are-being-left-lurch.html
