DA Form 5778: Army Aviation Broken Wing Award PDF – The Army Aviation Broken Wing Award is a prestigious, rare Department of the Army (DA)-level safety award that honors U.S. Army aviators and aircrew members who demonstrate exceptional skill, judgment, and professionalism while recovering an aircraft from a serious in-flight emergency. It symbolizes the ability to “bring home a broken bird” safely, often preventing loss of life or major damage.
What Is the Broken Wing Award?
The Broken Wing Award recognizes aircrew members who, through outstanding airmanship, minimize or prevent aircraft damage and injury to personnel during an emergency situation. It highlights extraordinary skill in recovering an aircraft from an in-flight emergency.
This award is unique to Army Aviation. It originated informally among pilots during the Vietnam War in March 1968 and has since become an official recognition. It is awarded only about 12–15 times per year, making it highly selective.
DA Form 5778 serves as the official certificate for this award. It formally documents and presents the honor to the recipient.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Broken Wing Award, the individual must meet these key requirements (per U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center guidelines):
- Be performing authorized aircrew member flight duties on a Department of Defense mission.
- Demonstrate extraordinary skill, judgment, and technique during an in-flight emergency.
- Successfully recover the aircraft or minimize damage/injury despite circumstances that could have led to catastrophic results.
Multiple crew members who materially contributed to the safe recovery can each be nominated. The award applies to U.S. Army military personnel and Department of the Army Civilians.
Note: Self-induced emergencies or certain other situations typically do not qualify.
Nomination and Approval Process
- Initiated/Nominated by: The first O-6 (Colonel or equivalent) in the chain of command.
- The nomination package typically uses DA Form 5778 along with supporting documentation of the incident.
- Final approval comes from the Director of Army Safety (DASAF).
The form itself includes standardized text praising the recipient’s “extraordinary skill, judgement, and technique” and successful landing under extreme conditions.
Download DA Form 5778
Official Fillable PDF:
Download DA Form 5778 – Army Aviation Broken Wing Award
This is the current official version from Army Publishing Directorate (APD). Always use the latest version from armypubs.army.mil for official submissions.
History and Significance
The award’s name draws from the idea of a bird with a broken wing that still manages to fly home safely. It underscores the critical role of pilot and crew skill in aviation safety. Recipients often include pilots and crew who faced mechanical failures, battle damage, or other emergencies and brought their aircraft and personnel home safely.
Recent examples include awards to crews in various units, such as those at Fort Rucker (now Fort Novosel) and overseas deployments, demonstrating its ongoing relevance in both training and operational environments.
Why This Award Matters for Army Aviation?
The Broken Wing Award reinforces the Army’s commitment to safety while celebrating human performance under pressure. It serves as both recognition for exceptional airmanship and a training tool, encouraging crews to prepare for the unexpected.
For Army aviators, receiving this award is a career highlight that demonstrates mastery of their craft when it matters most.
Related Resources
- U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC) Featured Awards: safety.army.mil
- Army Publishing Directorate Forms
- AR 385-10 – The Army Safety Program