Recent trends indicate that today's aviation commissioned officer lacks the requisite flight skills necessary to successfully lead aviation units. This thesis examines the changes that have taken place in doctrinal aviation training manuals, aviation regulations, and career development guidelines for commissioned aviation officers. The intent is to determine how Aviation Branch, through the evolution of these key publications, has affected the skill development of commissioned officers. Additionally, this thesis compares current aviation tables of organization and equipment to past "H" series tables of organization and equipment organizations as well as current tables for the other combat arms branches. This comparison is to determine whether or not current force structures cause aviation officers to spend significantly more time in staff rather than line positions compared to their predecessors and their combat arms peers. This study concludes that the capstone aviation regulations, training manuals, and career development guidelines have, over time, gradually de-emphasized the development of flight skills for the commissioned officer. Additionally, the study concludes that aviation officers have less, and in some cases, much less opportunity to serve in line positions than did their predecessors and current combat arms peers because today's aviation force structures have disproportionate staff to line officer ratios.

ADA 382933 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)