Retired CW5 Robert Ray Fladry's career envelops the entire litany of Army combat operations from two tours in Vietnam, to Grenada, the Persian Gulf crisis, Panama, and then Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia, the famed Black Hawk Down conflict in 1993.

Fladry's indisputable heroism as an Army aviator garnered awards of the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, multiple Air Medals, and as a recipient of the prestigious singular accolade, the American Legion's National Valor Award in 1990.

Selected for promotion on the Army's first CW5 promotion board, Fladry's more than 38-year career of instructor pilot service to the Army spans more than 26 years of active duty and 12 years of retired involvement as a Special Operations Aviation (SOA) civilian mission instructor.

Since retirement, Fladry has trained and qualified 136 SOA pilots and 26 SOA instructor pilots.

Fladry accumulated 12,472 total flight hours, 806 hours in combat, 4,312 under night vision goggles, and 6,297 hours as an instructor pilot.

His singular efforts, leadership and valor have projected Army and Special Operations Aviation to the pinnacle of success and garnered him status as an "epitome standard" for other Army aviators to emulate.

Fladry's dedication, valor and leadership in pioneering the advent of current SOA principles, doctrine and execution are selfless accolades to the success of the Army and the Special Operations Aviation communities, and make him a worthy inductee.