Pilots Fly Lakota to Sioux Powwow

[unhappycamper]

Pilots Fly Lakota to Sioux Powwow
September 24, 2008
Army News Service|by Zach Morgan

FORT POLK, La. - Fort Polk's 5th Aviation Battalion has been flying the Army's new utility helicopter for a year, and Monday pilots had a chance to meet the namesake of their birds, the Lakota tribe of South Dakota.

The pilots were invited to participate in the tribe's annual sun dance, a traditional religious and cultural ceremony that honors warriors and elders of the Lakota Sioux tribe that lent its name to the UH-72 Light Utility Helicopter.

"They wanted us to bring an aircraft up there since it was named after them so that they could recognize it and show it off to their people," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Steven Dunn, who participated in the mission.

The unit flew two helicopters to Rosebud, S.D., and displayed them at a local university and the sun dance ceremony. The pilots took the opportunity to learn more about Lakota culture. The tribe refers to its veterans as "warriors," and regards them with the same esteem that their ancestors did centuries ago.

"Even now, when they join one of the armed forces, in their society they are considered warriors," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Allen Galbreath, who also flew to the ceremony.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/army-news/pilots-fly-lakota-to-sioux-powwow.html?col=1186032369115



uhc comment: The UH-72 needed a bit of work to make it ready-for-prime-time -->

it overheats --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=6569
it's unsafe --> http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,155898,00.html
and it costs $10,000,000 a pop --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=11838