TWENTY personnel of the 104th Infantry Battalion (104IB) have undergone nine-day Army Aviation Operations Seminar (AAOS) in the province of Sulu, the military said Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
The 11th Infantry Division (11ID) said AAOS, which concluded Tuesday, June 16, was held at Camp Muksan, which houses the headquarters of the 104IB in East Kuntad village, Siasi, Sulu.
The 11ID said the nine-day specialized training designed to enhance their understanding of Army aviation operations and strengthen interoperability between ground and aviation units.
“The seminar was particularly relevant to Siasi, an island municipality with an existing airport, where effective ground-air coordination is vital in supporting security, humanitarian, and disaster response operations,” the 11ID said in a statement.
Major Al-Qatar Kamlian, 11ID’s deputy assistant chief of staff for education and training, said the seminar aimed to equip infantry troops with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively coordinate, integrate, and operate with aviation assets in support of operational requirements.
The training covered key aspects of Army aviation operations, including aircraft capabilities and limitations, air-ground coordination, aviation communications, aircraft marshalling, aviation meteorology, air traffic control procedures, aviation safety, and practical exercises that reinforced participants’ operational competencies.
During the closing ceremony, Major Ron Albert Tumasis, 104IB executive officer, expressed his gratitude to the 11ID and the Aviation Battalion for conducting the seminar, noting that the specialized training would further enhance the Battalion’s capability to effectively support ground and aviation operations.
Major General Leonardo Pe a, commander of the 11ID and Joint Task Force Orion, emphasized that continuous capability development is vital in preparing soldiers for the evolving operational environment.
“Building capable and mission-ready troops requires continuous learning and adaptation. Through initiatives such as the Army Aviation Operations Seminar, we strengthen our ability to integrate ground and air assets, enabling our forces to respond more effectively to security, humanitarian and disaster response operations while accomplishing our mission of sustaining peace and development in Sulu and Basilan,” Pe a said in a statement.
He said the successful conduct of AAOS Class 01-2026 marked the beginning of similar specialized training programs that will be rolled out to other units of the 11ID, ensuring that more troops acquire the competencies needed to effectively operate alongside aviation assets and enhance the Division’s overall operational readiness. (SunStar Zamboanga)
