BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Army National Guard’s Fixed Wing Army Aviation Training Site, or FWAATS, operated by the West Virginia Army National Guard, received the 2025 Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award during a ceremony recognizing the unit’s accident prevention program, safety culture and contributions to Army aviation readiness June 29.
The award, sponsored by the Order of Daedalians, is presented annually to the Army aviation training unit deemed to have the most effective aircraft accident prevention program.
Retired Brig. Gen. Chad Manske, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Order of Daedalians, presented the award to Brig. Gen. Murray E. “Gene” Holt, assistant adjutant general-Army for the West Virginia National Guard, and Maj. Evan Dale, commander of FWAATS. Leaders also recognized 1st Sgt. Frank Carey and the FWAATS team for their role in maintaining the training site’s safety culture.
Maj. Gen. Daniel Degelow, chief of staff for the Army National Guard, attended the ceremony and recognized the FWAATS team for setting the standard in Army aviation safety.
FWAATS earned the award after achieving zero Class A, B or C aviation mishaps in fiscal year 2025 and receiving a 97% Aviation Resource Management Survey safety rating. The training site also continued to support Army aviation readiness through fixed-wing qualification courses found in few other places across the Army.
“Safety is not just a checklist; it is a culture of looking out for one another so everyone goes home safe,” Degelow said. “The FWAATS team has gone above and beyond to eliminate hazards and champion safe practices on the flight line, setting the standard for Army aviation safety and mission readiness.”
FWAATS serves as the Army National Guard’s only fixed-wing aviation training site outside the Army’s primary aviation training center in Alabama. Since 1992, the site has trained more than 2,500 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers.
“Receiving the Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award is a tremendous honor for the Fixed Wing Army Aviation Training Site and the Army National Guard,” Dale said. “This award reflects the safety culture built here over many years and is a true testament to the dedicated professionals who are part of FWAATS. Their discipline, expertise and commitment to one another allow us to train aviators safely and prepare them for missions wherever they are needed.”
The training site provides instruction for C-26 and C-12 aircraft qualifications, as well as instructor pilot, instrument flight examiner and maintenance test pilot courses. FWAATS has also been recognized three times by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command as a “Learning Institution of Excellence.”
“FWAATS represents the purpose behind this award: exceptional vigilance, proactive risk management and a commitment to preparing skilled aviators for missions worldwide,” Manske said. “Their performance reflects the professionalism and discipline that continue to strengthen Army aviation.”
The award is named after Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett Jr., a pioneer in Army aviation who helped shape the service’s modern aviation doctrine and championed flight safety throughout his career. Burdett served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and later commanded the Army Aviation Center.
The Order of Daedalians is a national organization of military aviators whose heritage dates back to World War I. The organization supports military aviation through scholarships, mentoring, Junior ROTC recognition programs and national awards that promote aviation excellence and preserve the legacy of America’s first military pilots.
The recognition highlights FWAATS’ continued role in strengthening Army aviation readiness and developing fixed-wing aviators prepared to support missions at home and abroad.