CLAY NATIONAL GUARD CENTER, Ga., - Teaching one’s son or daughter to drive is a milestone in every father’s life, however stressful it may be.
Validating one’s son to fly an UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with night vision gear takes that stress level up a notch – up about 500 feet from the ground, to be exact; and that’s exactly what Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gary Button recently had the opportunity to do.
Gary Button, who is the commander of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Detachment 9 - Operational Support Airlift, 78th Aviation Troop Command, certified his son, Warrant Officer 1 Daniel Button with Company A, 1st of the 171st Aviation Battalion, to fly with night vision goggles (NVG) as part of his Readiness Level Progression (RL1).
Readiness Level Progression requires a pilot to get certified to fly during the day and night, and with NVGs at the unit level.
Once finishing RL1, there are certain requirements a pilot must maintain, such as doing NVG flights one hour every 45 days.
“This is one of the proudest moments in my life as a dad,” Gary Button said. “It is the first time my son and I are flying, not only as father and son, but as pilot and co-pilot.”
Daniel Button, who recently graduated from flight school, said the opportunity to fly with “Dad” is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.
“I feel a little pressure flying with him for the first time,” the younger Button said. “I want to do well and make him proud of me.”
“I’m already so proud of you,” Gary Button chimed in quickly.
The mission is for the younger Button to fly north toward the North Georgia Mountains, and once the sun has gone down, don his NVGs and continue the mission. Daniel Button must also fly in formation with other Black Hawks wearing the NVGs.
“I was up practicing last night, so I feel confident tonight’s flight will go smoothly,” the younger Button said.
Daniel Button will be deploying to Iraq with the 171st later this fall. This is his second deployment. His first was with the 82nd Airborne Division as a medic in 2004.