Paul Bogosian

Army Aviation Hall of Fame 2009 Induction - Nashville, TN

Starting as a Training and Doctrine Command intern in 1976, Paul Bogosian has devoted his life to the Army, and particularly to Army aviation. He rose to the highest levels of civil service as a member of the senior executive service, holding SES rank for over 15 years.

As the acting Program Executive Officer for Aviation in the 1990s, Bogosian emerged as the principal architect of the move of the new Program Executive Office for Aviation from St. Louis, Mo., to Redstone Arsenal, Ala., under the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Act. He subsequently served as the deputy PEO for Aviation under two general officer PEOs before becoming the fully fledged PEO for Aviation himself in 2004; where he served with distinction managing a global work force of over 1,700 employees and a budget of over $5 billion until his retirement in January 2009. Bogosian's defining skills were in developing consensus decisions by the top leadership of the Army when heartfelt conflicting views and opinions about modernizing aviation were the order of the day.

Bogosian helped lead the Army to its decision to terminate the controversial RAH-66 Comanche aircraft program, and use the subsequent funds released from the termination to aviation's best advantage. Through his diplomacy and calm demeanor, Bogosian took the remaining Army aircraft inventory of UH-60, AH-64 and CH-47 through a remarkable "born again" cycle, with virtually no recrimination or controversy inside or out of the Army. His focus on success got the projected 10-year job of establishing the remanufacture and upgrade of the three existing fleets as well as the initiation of four new-start programs, including the new mission area of unmanned aircraft systems done in less than five-years. He efficiently and professionally turned mere briefing charts into hardware.

Bogosian's outstanding leadership contributions have resulted in never before achieved and sustained aircraft operational tempos in the midst of today's Global War on Terrorism, with its two major theaters of operation, and around-the-clock combat engagements. As one commentator observed, "At no time since Army aviation became an Army branch has it been better postured to fulfill its mission than it is today." Bogosian was a key part of that success and his efforts have paid untold dividends to our Soldiers in combat, on the ground and in the air, around the world and in some of the harshest conditions in which we have ever fought. His impact cannot be overstated.