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ADA ONLINE
September
2011
(To hear the ADA March click on
the hyperlinked title above.
Also, to ensure you are viewing the most updated
version, please refresh the page.)
Kathleen M. Doyle, Editor-in-Chief |
We
look forward to publicly recognizing great ADA units and
Soldiers
and are anxious to publish your
submissions! To assist you in getting started, or help
you over the speed bumps, we have developed the
ADA Online ~ Writer's & Photographer's Guide to
assist you.
To access the guide, click here or on on the scroll and
quill to the left.
To submit articles/photos or contact ADA Online click
here!
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NOTICE:
The
editor of ADA Online will be out of the office from 27
September through 17 October 2011.
Request your patience. The October issue will be up as
soon thereafter as possible. In the meantime keep those
articles coming!
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108th AIR DEFENSE
ARTILLERY BRIGADE CONDUCTS CHANGE OF COMMAND
Article and photo by Army Staff
Sergeant Henry W. Marris III, 108th Air Defense
Artillery Brigade Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA - The 108th Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
Brigade, home based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
welcomed a new brigade commander, Colonel (COL) Sean A.
Gainey, during a formal change of command ceremony, on
22 September 2011.
<--- Colonel Sean A.
Gainey, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Commander,
receives the brigade colors from Brigadier General John
G. Rossi, Commander, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense
Command (AAMDC), Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of a change
of command ceremony on 22 September 2011.
The outgoing Commander, COL Christopher L.
Spillman, assumed command in June of 2009 and now
departs for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he will assume
the position of assistant commandant of the Air Defense
Artillery School (USAADASCH).
“Serving as the commander of the 108th Air Defense
Artillery Brigade has been the most professionally
rewarding experience of my career,” COL Spillman said.
“Commanding the brigade has been a great honor and
serving at Fort Bragg has been a wonderful experience
for Joanne and me.”
During his tenure as brigade commander, Spillman
deployed four subordinate battalions, three of which are
based at Fort Bragg. The fourth battalion, 2nd
Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery (2-44 ADA)
Regiment, is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In
addition to his oversight of deployments, he also
provided leadership in the redeployment and
reconstitution of three of the same battalions from Iraq
and Afghanistan.
He said he believes the most significant change during
his command has been the ability of the brigade to
train, deploy and redeploy its subordinate battalions,
followed closely by reintegrating Soldiers and families
after the deployment.
In anticipation of his upcoming assignment, COL Spillman
said his experience as brigade commander will help him
face the challenges that lie ahead.
“I believe I will bring forward a good understanding of
the training and maintenance challenges impacting our
readiness,” Spillman said, “and perhaps be able to
address ways to get after these challenges and improve
how we train Soldiers at the institutional training
base.”
The incoming commander, COL Sean A. Gainey, a native of
Columbia, South Carolina, completed his most recent
assignment as the chief of the Air and Missile Division,
U.S. Army Europe, and looks forward to his tenure as
commander.
“It is truly an honor and privilege to command the great
Spartan Brigade,” Gainey said. “This brigade has a rich
history and I’m proud to be part of the legacy.”
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Harold L. Lincoln, 108th
ADA brigade command sergeant major, said he looks
forward to working with COL Gainey as the senior
enlisted advisor.
“He brings a tremendous amount of knowledge about air
and missile defense (AMD) operations,” Lincoln said,
“and he is passionate about Soldiers’ well-being without
compromising the mission itself.”
Gainey said he believes his greatest challenge in the
near future will be commanding a deployed brigade
headquarters that is responsible for three
forward-deployed battalions while at the same time
ensuring the readiness of garrison battalions at Fort
Bragg and Fort Campbell. His personal ambition is
to instill a sense of professionalism and pride within
the Soldiers and families of the brigade through his
focus areas of Soldier and family readiness, training
readiness, maintenance readiness and war fighting
readiness.
In looking to the future, Gainey said he wants to leave
a positive impact on the brigade.
“I want to leave a legacy behind of a leader that
genuinely cared for the Soldiers and families of the
brigade,” Gainey said. “When I mean care, I am
referring to ensuring Soldiers are trained and ready for
combat while ensuring their personal well-being is in
order.”
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McCONNELSVILLE-BASED GUARD
TO DEPLOY THIS WEEKEND
 (ZanesvilleTimeRecorder/16 September 2011)
Article by Mr. Brian Gadd, Staff Writer
Photographs by Trevor Jones, Times Recorder
The McConnelsville, Ohio, 2nd Battalion, 174th Air
Defense Artillery (2-174 ADA) Brigade of the
Ohio Army National Guard (OHARNG) is hitting the road
again. In preparation for the unit's second
National Capital Region mission with Operation Clear
Skies (the first in 2006) the unit is packed and ready
to deploy to Fort Bliss, Texas, for a 45-day
mobilization and live-fire exercise. The added training
will reinforce and refresh the Soldiers to better
prepare the Avenger missile battalion in keeping a
watchful stance over the Washington D.C. area.
(To read Mr. Gadd's
complete article and see more photographs, click on the
title above.)
Soldiers from the McConnelsville, Ohio, 2nd Battalion,
174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade (2-174 ADA), Ohio
Army National Guard (OHARNG) load items for movement in
preparation for a deployment to Fort Bliss, Texas. From
left to right - Sergeant First Class (SFC) Harry Levan
and Specialist (SPC) Jonathan Williams, both from
Woodsfield, and SPC Laura Green from Trenton.
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DISAPPEARING DEFENSE FUNDS
By Rebeccah
Heinrichs
(The Hill's Congress Blog/21 September 2011)
Last week the Senate Appropriations Committee fully
funded the Obama administration’s $407 million request
to develop what some are sarcastically calling “Might
Eventually Almost Do Something” (MEADS), a program the
Department of Defense has no intention of buying.
The other three defense committees--the House Armed
Services, Defense Appropriations and the Senate Armed
Services-- already eliminated funding for it, or shrunk
its budget. On Wednesday Senator McCain addressed the
full Senate, rebuking the Appropriations Committee for
once again funding programs the it explicitly did not
authorize—like the MEADS program, whose real name is the
Medium Extended Air Defense System.
(To read the complete article,
click on the title above.)
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"DON'T ASK - DON'T TELL"
OFFICIALLY REPEALED
20 September 2011
On this day (20 September 2011) the
"Don't Ask - Don't Tell" Law is repealed. The Department
of Defense (DoD) and all it's personnel will implement
the repeal fully, fairly and in accordance with policy
guidance. All personnel
will treat each other with dignity and respect, without
regard to sexual orientation, while maintaining good
order and discipline throughout the ranks.
(To read the complete message, click on the miniature
message below.)
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3-4 ADA COMMISSIONS ARTWORK
(Posted 7 September 2011/Revised 8 September
2011)
The 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 4th Air Defense Artillery
(ADA) Regiment is commissioning a painting portraying
their prestigious unit in a limited edition (First Time
Ever) all inclusive air defense work of art with renowned
artist James Dietz. Mr. Dietz will include 3-4 ADA's
past history and current missions including depictions
of the Barbary Pirate Wars, Indian Wars, Civil War,
WWII, Panama Conflict, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New
Dawn (OND). In addition, all the ADA weapon systems used
throughout the unit's history will be showcased.
Upon completion of the painting, 500 limited edition prints, signed and
numbered by the artist will be available for purchase at a cost of $80.00
per print (frame not included).
If you are interested in owning a limited piece of 3-4
ADA's history, please contact Captain Ron Gooding
at
ron.gooding@conus.army.mil .
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9-11 CEREMONY MAKES PENTAGON ROCK A PERMANENT FIXTURE IN
THE 164TH AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE ARMORY
(ApocalypseWars.com/14 September 2011)
Photographs by
Captain Theresa R. DiPinto.
A piece of the
heartbreak and heroism that was 9-11 is now a permanent
part of the Orlando National Guard Armory. The Armory is
home to the 164th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade.
Amidst a slew of remembrance events around the nation,
the 164th ADA Brigade held its own ceremony on Sunday to
celebrate and honor the receipt of a piece of the
Pentagon. The limestone piece (approximately 250 pounds)
once a part of the Pentagon, is one of four presented to
the Florida Army National Guard (ARNG) in gratitude for
their continued service protecting the National Capital
Region.
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) John Rooney and
Colonel (COL) Matthew Hearon, both of the 164th Air
Defense Artillery Brigade, applaud the receipt of a
piece of the Pentagon that serves as a reminder and a
thank you for the unit’s service in support of the
National Capital Region during the years following the
September 11th attacks.
It will be displayed in
the foyer of the armory encased in glass along with a
plaque that reads, “Never Again.”
The other three
pieces will be displayed at the 1st Battalion, 265th Air
Defense Artillery (1-265th ADA) Regiment in Daytona
Beach; the 3-265th ADA Regiment in Sarasota; and at the
headquarters of the Florida National Guard at the Saint
Francis Barracks in St Augustine, Florida.
(To read
the complete article, click on the title or photos
above.)
Soldiers of the 164th Air
Defense Artillery Brigade watch a 9/11 remembrance video
during a special ceremony at the Orlando Armory on
Sunday.
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Soldiers from 1st
Battalion, 362nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment,
“Renegades,” 5th Armored Brigade, pose outside Camp
Ravenna Joint Training Center in Ohio on 13 August 2011.
The battalion successfully completed Exercise America’s
Shield, an annual joint exercise, training members of
the Army National Guard and a U.S. Air Force
communications squadron to prepare for the mission of
defending the National Capital Region. (Photograph by
Sergeant First Class Richard Dwyer.)
RENEGADES ASSURE SUCCESS FOR THE
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD
(DVIDS/September 2011)
CAMP RAVENNA, OHIO - The 1st Battalion, 362nd Air
Defense Artillery (1-362 ADA) Regiment, “Renegades,” 5th
Armored Brigade Ohio Army National Guard (OHARNG) is
engaged in a very unique and specialized training
mission. This summer, Soldiers from the battalion have
been at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to train and support the
1-204 ADA of the Mississippi ARNG (MSARNG), after just
returning from a training mission with the 2-174
ADA, OHARNG and with the 2-263rd ADA SCARNG.
The 18 soldiers from the “Renegade” Battalion, led by
Executive Officer Major Bryan Feeser, conducted
post-mobilization operations for the 1-204 ADA at Fort
Sill, from 27 April through 8 August 2011. The training
was conducted in order to ensure the Mississippi
Guardsmen were properly trained and prepared to conduct
Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) operations
in support of Operation New Dawn (OND). While at Fort
Sill, 2-6 ADA and the Project Manager C-RAM team worked
diligently with the dedicated noncommissioned officers
(NCOs) of the 1-362 ADA to train the OHARNG Soldiers on
a system they had no previous experience with. The
1-204th made great strides throughout the summer, and by
the end of July, had successfully completed all training
requirements for their upcoming deployment.
In addition to the C-RAM mission requirements, the
“Renegades” continued conducting their primary
requirement of preparing ADA ARNG units to meet the
mission objectives of the National Capital Region. From
Aug. 6-20, at Camp Ravenna, Ohio, the 1-362 ADA
participated in Exercise America’s Shield (EAS), a joint
exercise that takes place annually ...
(To read more about EAS and 1-362
ADA’s accomplishment,
click on the title or photo above.)
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OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE
VISITS 2-174th ADA
ON MILITARY READY-to-VOTE INITIATIVE
(WHIZNEWS.COM/15 September 2011)
 
Secretary of State Jon Husted spoke with
soldiers Thursday on the recently announced Military
Ready-to-Vote (MRV) initiative. Nearly 170 soldiers of
the 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery in
McConnelsville, Ohio, gathered to learn more about the
MRV program.
 
As an added pleasure Secretary Husted was available to
present First Lieutenant Joel Frary with the Bronze Star
Medal. The Bronze
Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving
in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States
after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself/herself by
heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not
involving participation in aerial flight, in connection
with military operations against an armed enemy; or
while engaged in military operations involving conflict
with an opposing armed force in which the United States
is not a belligerent party.
It is the fourth highest combat award of the U.S.
Armed Forces and the ninth highest military award
(combat and non-combat) in the order of precedence of
U.S. military decorations. Lieutenant Frary's award
represents integrity and loyalty during deployed
services.
(To read the entire
article, click on the title or photos above.)
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3-4 ADA'S "EXECUTIONERS"
TAKE CAMP LEJEUNE
WITH A STINGER LIVE-FIRE
By Captains Ron Gooding and Nathan Barr
 
"Stand By!" The Jumpmaster's yelled as the vibrations of
the wind turbulence shook the yellow static line in
Captain (CPT) Jason Roberts' hand as he waited to lead
his Paratroopers out of the jump door. CPT Roberts
is the Commander of Echo Battery, 3rd
Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery (E/3-4
ADA) Regiment (“The Executioners”). Waiting with
anticipation in the opposite door, number one jumper,
Major (MAJ) Glenn Henke, stood staring at blue and white
capped ocean of waves under him while they approached
the lead edge of their destination; Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina's Falcon Drop Zone (DZ). The cool of the
morning dew expectantly turned into the moist humidity
and beads of sweat that rolled down the brow of every
Paratrooper waiting their turn to exit their 130 mile
per hour chariot, a C-130 Hercules aircraft. As the
coast line rushed towards them and the drop zone
appeared, the "Green Light Go!" order was given. MAJ
Henke and CPT Roberts exited with chins on chest and
feet and knees together as their 34 second descent
began.
(To find out what happened during the exercise
and how it ended, click on either photo above.)
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF OF
STAFF OF THE ARMY
GENERAL RAYMOND
T. ODIERNO
TO READ GENERAL ODIERNO'S
MESSAGE CLICK ON THE MINIATURE MESSAGE ABOVE.
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WE SHALL
NOT FORGET -- IN MEMORIUM
MAJOR RONALD MILAM
(Tulsa World/11 September 2011)
By Andrea Eger
Ronald Milam had risen to the rank of major in the U.S.
Army because of his willingness to take leadership
assignments in less than desirable locales, including
Saudi Arabia, Germany and two stints in South Korea.
He was serving at the Pentagon as an Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army and was gearing up for the leader
development program at the United States Army Command
and General Staff College when he became a casualty of the
terrorist attack on 11 September 2001. He was killed
when the terrorist commandeered American Airlines Flight
77 crashed into the Pentagon complex.
New facilities constructed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and
Fort Bliss, Texas, as well as the gym at Muskogee High
School, where he graduated, have been named in Ronald
Milam's honor.
Milam's widow, Jacqueline, now lives in the San Antonio,
Texas, area with her children, including Myejoy, who was
one year old on 9/11, and Ron Milam Jr., a son he never
met, born in January 2002. He is also survived by his
parents, Tommie Milam, who is a math teacher at Webster
High School in Tulsa, and Effie Milam, who retired as an
English teacher from Muskogee High School in 2008.
At the beginning of each school year, Tommie volunteers
the information about his son to his students to avoid
the subject coming up on its own during the anniversary
of the attack.
"He is my son. He is not 9/11. That's important that I
am able to separate him from being a victim of 9/11,"
Milam said.
(To read the TulsaWorld.com article, click on
the title or photo above.)
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PATRIOTISM RUNS DEEP IN
FAMILY WITH COSHOCTON ROOTS
 (Coshocton Tribune/11 September
2011)
By Kathie Dickerson
Freedom
doesn't come free, and those words and patriotic music
might make Americans swell with pride, but it doesn't
erase the pained look on the faces of families who have
paid the ultimate cost of that freedom, retired U.S.
Army Brigadier General Richard (Rick) McCabe said.
"Since the time of the terrorism attack on American
soil, we've completely changed the face of the U.S.
Army," McCabe said. "You now have an entire generation
who've seen combat, which is a very good asset -- but it
comes with a price."
McCabe is the son of Dave and Mary Lou McCabe, of
Coshocton, and was in the Pentagon when a Boeing 757 hit
the west side of the building on 11 September 2001. The
plane was loaded with passengers and thousands of
gallons of fuel.
(To read the complete article, click on the
photo or title above.)
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NEW PT TEST COULD GET MORE
DEMANDING
(Army Times/10 September 2011)
By Lance M. Bacon
The tough new Army Physical Readiness Test may be
getting tougher as officials consider three key changes:
• The addition of dead-hang pull-ups — perhaps to
replace push-ups.
• Doubling the rower from one minute to two minutes.
• Returning to a two-mile run.
The changes result from an analysis of statistical data
and comments from the rank and file, said Maj. Gen.
Richard Longo, deputy commanding general of Initial
Military Training at Training and Doctrine Command.
The Army Physical Fitness School, which played a key
role in designing the new test, has completed 8,000 of
10,000 initial tests that will build the test’s scoring
scales.
"But the effort is not just number crunching,” Longo
said. “We are listening to some incredibly insightful
soldiers and leaders and collecting new and good ideas
on the test.”
(To read the complete Army Times article, click
on the title or photo below.)
Army Sergeant Michael Poindexter closes in on the
finish line of a two-mile run
during an Army physical fitness test in Iraq on 18 April
2011.
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 ROSE ON MISSILE DEFENSE
(Voice of America/10 September
2011)
"We
need to develop regional missile defense architectures
that will enable us to leverage our bilateral
cooperation." -- Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State Frank Rose
Editorial -- The United States is working with its allies in Europe, East
Asia, and the Middle East to develop regional approaches
tailored to the specific ballistic missile threats faced
in each region.
"The threat from short-, medium-, and intermediate-range
ballistic missiles to U.S. deployed forces, allies, and
partners is growing," said Frank Rose, U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Arms Control,
Verification and Compliance.
Many states, he said, are
increasing their inventories, and making their ballistic
missiles more accurate, reliable, mobile and survivable.
(To read the complete article click on the title or the photo above.)
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$300 First Prize
Fires Bulletin
Photo Contest 2011
This annual contest obtains
high-quality photos that tell the story of today’s U.S.
artillery professionals conducting training or engaged
in full-spectrum operations. These photos may appear as
a cover or other shots for future editions of the
magazine, as part of the Fires Center of Excellence
poster series or in other esprit de corps or strategic
communications projects.
The competition is open to any military or civilian,
amateur or professional photographer.
2010 First Place Training Category Winner.
A
successful engagement of an incoming mortar during
Counter-Rockets, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) system
training. These types of mission readiness exercises are
performed by units that will deploy and perform the
sense and warn/sense and destroy missions. (Photo by
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Willis Taylor, 6th Air Defense
Artillery Brigade, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.)
===== Photo Categories
=====
There will be
two main divisions in the 2011 contest:
1. Professional
2. Amateur
Each division will have subcategories:
1. Training for combat/stability operations
2. Actual combat/stability operations
===== Prize Winners =====
1st place prize winners will receive $300 and 2nd place
prize winners will receive $100.
Enter as many photos as you wish, but winners will be
limited to one per category.
===== Contest Rules =====
* Only photos taken in the last 36 months are eligible.
* The deadline for photo submissions have changed and
all entries must be recieved by Oct. 14, 2011.
* Each photo must be a jpg or tif image with little or
no compression.
* Each photo must be taken with a camera on its highest
resolution setting.
* Images cannot be manipulated.
* Photos cannot be copyrighted or owned by an
agency/publication.
===== Judging =====
Due to technical and budget constraints online voting
will not
be conducted for this year’s contest.
===== Photo Submissions
=====
* Each submission must include the photographer’s name,
unit/affiliation, e-mail address, mailing address and
phone number.
* Caption information must include who, from what unit,
is doing what, where and when (date) in the photograph.
(EXAMPLE: “SGT Joe B. Smith, C/2-20 Fires, 4th
Fires Brigade, fires the M777A2 howitzer during unit
qualification training at Fort Hood, Texas, Jan. 5,
2011.” )
===== Where to submit
photos =====
Photos can be sent by e-mail or compact disk. CDs will
not be returned.
* E-mail image files (one image per e-mail) to Fires
Bulletin at paul.e.jiron.civ@mail.mil. Mark the subject
line as “2011 Photo Contest/ Entry Category -Your Last
Name.”
* Mail CDs to ATTN: Photo Contest at P.O. Box 33311;
Fort Sill, OK 73503-0311.
* FedEx or UPS submissions to 652 Hamilton Road, Rm 204A,
Fort Sill, OK 73503-5600.
All submissions may be
used at the discretion of the Fires Bulletin and Fires
Center of Excellence STRATCOM staff.
Questions? Contact the Fires staff by e-mail at
fires.bulletin@us.army.mil or by phone at DSN
639-5121/6806 or 580-442-5121/6806.
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IN THE 10TH YEAR OF WAR,
A HARDER ARMY,
A MORE DISTANT AMERICA
by David Wood, Chief Military Correspondent
(First Published in Politics Daily on 9 September 2010)
For the first time in America's history, we continue to
engage in a decade-long and stress-filled combat
atmosphere manned entirely by an all volunteer Armed
Forces. Under the pressures of combat, this force has
turned inward, virtually shutting out civilian America.
A decade of fighting has hardened Soldiers in a way that
is totally unfamiliar to our well-wishing,
but impatient civilian spectators.
The
common ground, the shared values, knowledge and beliefs
that have shaped the way Americans think about war is
shrinking. Is it possible for Soldiers and civilians to
ever see this war and its outcome in the same way?
America respects its warriors, but from a distance and
Soldiers whose daily
lives depend on self-discipline and sacrifice disdain
what they perceive as the loose values, sloppy
discipline and quick-buck self-centeredness of civilian
society.
A 37-year old Soldier pulling guard duty was heard to
say that even though he had found a home and family in
the Army, he felt like he had given up a place in the
civilian world and that the distance from that civilian
world from his precarious existence in the dangerous
Afghan wasteland was simply too far to ever travel ...
(To read Mr. Wood's informative and insightful article
in full , click on the title above.)
 About
the Author: Chief Military Correspondent
David Wood, writes about war for Politics Daily. In 30
years of covering conflict, he has filed dispatches from
dozens of battlefields (alphabetically, from Afghanistan
to Zambia) and has embedded many times with U.S. Army
and Marine Corps units as well as with guerrillas and
brigands in Africa. He is a birthright Quaker and former
conscientious objector, and was a Pulitzer Prize
finalist for his reporting on conflict, national
security and foreign affairs.
As a correspondent
successively for Time Magazine, the Los Angeles Times,
Newhouse News Service and the Baltimore Sun, Wood has
reported from the Kremlin in Moscow and has toured a
Chinese missile submarine. During the Cold War he
patrolled the Fulda Gap with the 11th Cavalry Regiment
and snuck across the East German border to visit the
opposing force, a Russian motorized rifle regiment. He
got to know Soldier-amputees during the Contra war in
Nicaragua and, with a U.S. intelligence agent, made the
rounds of Bosnian brothels to collect gossip on Serb
officers and politicians.
He has accompanied American troops into battle many
times, in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan, most recently
with 1st Battalion 6th Marines for six weeks on combat
operations in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, and has
accompanied U.S. forces on stability operations in the
Balkans, Haiti and Panama. He has flown on a B-52 bomber
mission, slogged through Army Ranger School, and
accompanied Rangers on nighttime airborne maneuvers and
with Marines on amphibious and air assaults. He has
flown off aircraft carriers and sailed on battleships,
cruisers, minesweepers, amphibs, as well as, attack and
strategic missile submarines. He has flown in the cargo
compartment of an African bush plane and crouched behind
the pilot of a battered C-130 as it lost an engine while
careening on final approach into Baghdad. Wood admits
that he’s been scared much of his professional life.
Wood has won the Gerald Ford Prize for Distinguished
Reporting on National Defense, and in 2008 won the
Headliners Club award for his reporting on Iraq. He has
lectured at the Marine Staff College, the Joint Forces
Staff College and the Army's Eisenhower Fellows
Conference, and has appeared on CNN, CSPAN, the PBS News
Hour, and on BBC and National Public Radio.
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GENERAL
RAYMOND
T.
ODIERNO
IS SWORN
IN AS
38TH
CHIEF OF
STAFF OF
THE ARMY
On 7
September
2011,
Secretary
of the
Army
John
McHugh
administers
the oath
to
General
Raymond
T.
Odierno
during a
change
of
responsibility
ceremony
at Joint
Base
Myer-Henderson
Hall,
Virginia,
as
Odierno's
wife
Linda
looks
on.
(Photo
by U.S.
Army)
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69th ADA FOOD TEAM TAKES U.S. FORCES COMMAND TITLE
(Killen Daily Herald/30 August
2011)
By Rose L. Thayer
The 69th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade is moving
up again in the prestigious 44th Annual Philip A.
Connelly Competition for field kitchen cuisine. During a
ceremony last week at Fort Hood, the brigade's field
kitchen team was named champion of the U.S. Forces
Command (FORSCOM). The team will move forward in the
competition to battle it out at Department of the Army
(DA) level this fall. Judges for the Connelly Award were
looking for excellence in food handling, cleanliness and
taste.
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FUNDING FOR 69th ADA BARRACKS
DEFERRED
(Killen Daily Herald/30 August
2011)
By Rose L. Thayer
Funding for the 69th Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
Brigade's new barracks, has not been cut, just deferred,
which will delay the completion of Fort Hood's first
campus-like facility, post officials said.
The funding was scheduled in the Department of the
Army's Future Year Defense Plan — a five-year outlook
on Army construction. In May, the Army was forced to
make $1.8 billion in cuts, so the barracks project was
deferred for a later plan.
On 21 July 2011, the ribbon was cut opening the brigade
headquarters building on the new campus, located just
outside of the East Range Road Gate. Battalions will
begin moving in gradually, as their office buildings are
complete. Lieutenant Colonel Norman Spivey, Deputy
Commander, 69th ADA Brigade, said that should all happen
by the end of spring 2012. "We will work through the
challenge of having our living and working space
separate," Spivey said.
The brigade estimated that 40 percent of the brigade's
soldiers live in the barracks, which are three miles
from the new campus. Transportation for soldiers without
personal vehicles will be provided.
(To read the complete article,
click on the title above.)
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=60136&q=69th+Air+Defense+Artillery |
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69th ADA
UNIT GETS SAFETY AWARD
(Killen Daily Herald/30 August 2011)
By Rose L. Thayer
On 24 August 2011, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
(HHB), 69th Air Defense
Artillery (ADA) Brigade received the Composite Risk
Safety Management Award, which commends a unit's efforts
in safety and prevention.
Only a half-dozen of these awards are given out each
year, Army-wide, Wroblewski said, so for a battery in a
garrison atmosphere to receive it is a big deal. "The
title of the award, it's our cornerstone to keeping
soldiers and equipment safe," said Stephen Wroblewski,
brigade safety and occupational health specialist.
To get the award, a unit cannot have had any alcohol or
drug-related incidents, deaths or permanent or partial
disabilities for an extended period of time. The battery
hasn't had any of these in three years, even while they
were deployed.
"It's something to be proud of," said Brig. Gen. William
Wolf, Commander, U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety
Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama, while personally
presenting the award to the Battery Commander. Captain
Steven Pace at Fort Hood, Texas.
(To read the rest of the article,
click on the title above or click on the link
below to view the YouTube coverage.)
HHB 69th ADA COMPREHENSIVE RISK
MANAGEMENT AWARD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k6EfzumX4g
69th ADA BRIGADE
SOLDIERS
TAKE A
STAND ON SAFETY
Article and photographs by Sergeant Maria L. Asenbrener,
69th ADA Brigade Public Affairs
Brigadier General (BG)
William (Bill) Wolf, Commander, U.S. Army Combat
Readiness/Safety Center and Director of Army Safety
presents CPT Steven Cory Pace, Commander of Headquarters
and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 69th Air Defense
Artillery (ADA) Brigade, with the Composite Risk
Management Safety Award on 24 August 2011.
Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB),69th
Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade participated in a
Safety Stand-Down Day at the Backbone Lounge here on
Fort Hood, Texas, on 26 August 2011.
The Safety Stand-Down followed on the heels of the
battery receiving an award for having over a year
with no safety violations. Brigadier General
William T. Wolf, Director of Army Safety, presented the
Soldiers of HHB/69th ADA Brigade with the prestigious
Composite Risk Safety Management Award on 24 August
2011, in recognition of the unit’s effort in safety and
prevention. The battery, once plagued by accidents due
to Soldier's high risk behaviors, initiated a program to
identify Soldiers at risk and to mitigate that risk
before the problem escalated. Within a few months
the battery's high risk behaviors began to drop and in
less than one year there were virtually no behavioral
problems in the battery. In the hopes of continuing this
outstanding record, the battery command team decided to
put together the safety day which encompassed various
topics from motorcycle riding to anti-terrorism safety.
The day started out with the brief on anti-terrorism.
Sergeant First Class (SFC) Ernesto Diaz, the Brigade’s
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and
Explosives (CBRNE) Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge
(NCOIC), presented useful slides, tools and advice to
the troops on how to stay vigilant and protect
themselves from suspicious activities. ==
“Anti-terrorism is everyone’s responsibility,” Diaz
said.
He provided information on how to fulfill this
responsibility such as: ways to report unusual behavior
through
www.iwatchforthood.com
and 288-COPS, watching for signs and symptoms from
others and knowing when to report those strange
behaviors, keeping secret information secret, making
sure that homes and vehicles are secure, and ways to
make sure that a person is not identifying themselves as
a target or a weakness.
The battery safety day also included a segment on
motorcycle safety. This brief included the basics of
safe motorcycle riding such as proper protective wear
and how to inspect a motorcycle properly.
“All leaders need some small knowledge of motorcycles,”
said the Battery’s First Sergeant, (1SG) Timothy Spence.
To ensure the Soldiers in the battery remain safe,
leaders and younger Soldiers as well, were given three
things to look for when inspecting a Soldier’s
motorcycle – even if they are not an experienced rider
themselves. These three things include making sure that
the tires are not too bald, making sure headlights and
brake lights work, and ensuring that the brakes on the
bike are in proper working order.
The next brief pertained to alcohol and substance abuse.
It covered the basics of the main drugs that are used
commonly by Soldiers and the effects these drugs can
have. Some of the other briefs included in the battery’s
safety day were on equal opportunities, the laws of war,
suicide prevention, and privately owned vehicle safety.
Knowledge is power when it comes to keeping the Soldiers
of HHB/69th ADA, and the Soldiers of Fort Hood safe. The
battery’s safety day was meant to empower the Soldiers
with knowledge so that when they are faced with
compromising situations they can react in a proper
manner.
With the deaths of both suicides and vehicle accidents
continuing to be a problem in the military, the
battery’s safety day took the time to address these
issues and make them a priority. Each Soldier’s life is
in his own hands, and with proper knowledge and guidance
through a Safety Stand-down Day a few more lives may
have been altered or even saved.
  (Above)
Sergeant First Class (SFC) Ernesto Diaz, the 69th ADA's
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and
Explosives (CBRNE) Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge
(NCOIC), gives a brief to HHB/69th ADA Brigade, on
anti-terrorism during the unit's Safety Stand-down Day
at the Backbone Lounge at Fort Hood, Texas, on 26 August
2011. (At right) Soldiers
in HHB/69th ADA Brigade learn about proper motorcycle
inspections and look at the proper gear for riding
motorcycles at the Battery's safety day presentation.
|
|
GENERAL THURMAN
RECOGNIZES
35TH ADA BRIGADE SOLDIERS
Article and photograph by
First Lieutenant Casey Harrell
35th ADA Brigade Public Affairs
Receiving one of a
dozen coins awarded by U. S Forces Korea Commander
General James D. Thurman, Cpl. William E. Haydu is
recognized Aug. 17 for his outstanding performance for
the entire year. Haydu and other Soldiers of the 35th
Air Defense Artillery Brigade were thanked for their
major efforts to help support the ADA’s critical mission
in Korea. Photos by 1st Lt. Casey Harrell, 35th
ADA Brigade Public Affairs
General James D. Thurman, Commander U.S. Forces
Korea
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4-5
ADA FAREWELLS DEPARTING AND WELCOMES
NEW BATTALION
COMMANDER
Article and photographs by Sergeant Maria L. Asenbrener
69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Public Affairs
(Posted 7 September 2011)
Colonel (COL) Randall A. McIntire, 69th Air Defense
Artillery (ADA) Brigade Commander, passes the colors to
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) William J. McKnight, the
incoming 4-5 ADA Commander, during the Change-of Command
Ceremony at Cameron Field, Fort Hood, Texas, on 1
September 2011.
The 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery (4-5 ADA)
Regiment of the 69th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade
held a Change-of-Command (CoC) Ceremony to farewell the
outgoing commander and welcome in the new at Cameron
Field, Fort Hood, Texas,
on 1 September 2011.
Soldiers, family members and friends watched as
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) William J. McKnight, a New York
native, replaced LTC Douglas E. White an Ohio native, as
the new
4-5 ADA Commander.
An important part of the ceremony consists of the
passing of the colors from 4-5 ADA’s command sergeant
major (CSM), CSM Gary W. Coleman Jr., to the outgoing
commander, who in turn pass the colors through a higher
parent unit’s commander/designee, to the incoming
commander, and back to the CSM. This process signifies
handing over the reins from one leader to another, and
the passing of responsibility of a unit into new hands.
COL Randall A. McIntire, LTC Douglas E. White
(4-5 ADA outgoing Commander) and LTC William J. McKnight
(the incoming 4-5 ADA Commander), stand in front of the
battalion formation after the passing of the colors at
Cameron Field on 1 September 2011.
“LTC White has been a strong, fearless and dedicated
leader,” said Colonel Randall A. McIntire, the 69th ADA
Brigade Commander. "LTC White is being replaced by an
equally competent and charismatic leader with the right
skills and attitude to continue to lead the battalion in
the right direction and prepare them for their upcoming
deployment," McIntire added.
Members of 4-5 ADA past and present have played a vital
role and distinguished themselves in many of our
country’s battles, including Operation Desert Shield,
Operation Clear Skies, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The
Soldiers of the battalion continue to train, now under
new leadership, for their upcoming deployment in support
of Operation New Dawn.
LTC White applauded the Soldiers of 4-5 ADA for their
efforts to overcome and exceed standards that create
Soldier readiness and an overwhelming sense of pride.
As LTC White shared his departing words, he encouraged
McKnight to cherish the time he has with the great
Americans who make up the battalion and those that
support it. "They will not let you down,” White said.
“We will continue to do our best, take care of each
other, and share our successes,” said McKnight.
|
 IN
SALUTE OF A MISSILE PIONEER
MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES F.
MEANS
(The Review / 2 September 2011)
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Major General (MG) Charles F.
Means (US Army, Retired) passed away on 31 August 2011.
Born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on 22 March 1928, he
graduated from the United States Military Academy (West
Point) with a Bachelor of Science degree and
commissioned a second lieutenant in 1950.
MG Means 31-year career was spent mostly in missile
research and development and command of missile-armed
combat units. He was on the ground floor of
surface-to-air missile development and worked on both
the Pershing and Nike-Hercules systems.
In September 1973, General Means become the Project
Manager for the Surface-to-Air Missile Development
(SAM-D), and successfully managed the SAM-D program
through the Proof of Principle phase and then renamed
the program PATRIOT.
General Means was selected by Aviation Week and Space
Technology as one of the 26 worldwide aerospace
engineers and managers for outstanding contributions to
aerospace in 1975. PATRIOT continues to be the most
advanced, combat proven air defense missile system in
the world today.
MG Means retired from active duty in 1981; however,
continued to serve as a contractor and retired in 1982
as the Operations Manager for the Raytheon Huntsville
operations.
He is survived by Anna Chan Means, his childhood
sweetheart and wife of over 61 years, and six children.
There was a private viewing, followed by a memorial
service on Saturday the 3rd of September 2011 at Good
Shepherd Catholic Church, with internment with full
military honors.
|
OUTGOING THIRD ARMY DCG TAKES PRIDE IN MISSION
(DVIDS - 13th Public Affairs Detachment/3 September
2011)
By Corporal Jordan Johnson
Major General Peter Vangjel, outgoing Third Army/Army
Central Command (ACENT) Deputy Commanding General (DCG),
explains the workings of a military vehicle. Vangjel
will be returning to Washington and taking on the role
of Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the
Army. While serving as DCG, Vangjel worked hard to
maintain the Third Army/ARCENT motto of "Ready tonight,
sustain the fight and shape the future."
Major General Peter Vangjel [second from left],
outgoing Third Army/ARCENT DCG, listens to a briefing in
the Combined Operations and Intelligence Center.
Air Defense Artillery
(ADA) and the air and missile defense (AMD) mission made
MG Vangel's top three list of things significant to him
during his tour of duty. In his own word, "Item number
three is what we’ve done with air and missile defense in
the Gulf. We’ve brought more Patriot batteries in and
tried to set up a protective umbrella for all our
forces, assets and some of our partner nations’ assets
as well.”
(To read more about what Major General Vangjel
had to say click on the photo above.)
|
69th AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE
4-5 ADA's AIR & MISSILE DEFENSE
LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE
The 69th Air Defense Artillery
(ADA) Brigade sponsored a family field day for members
of the 4th Battalion 5th ADA Regiment and their
families. The event featured an Air and Missile Defense
Live-Fire Exercise meant to help bridge the knowledge
gap between Soldier and their families. Understanding
more about Mom's, Dad's or spouse's military mission is,
helps family members cope with long duty hours and
longer deployments.
(To view the YouTube video
coverage featuring excerpt from the Mulligan family, LTC
White and Private Griffin, click on the linked title
above.)
|
|
THE
6th BATTALION, 52nd AIR DEFENSE
ARTILLERY
HOSTS CTLT CADETS
By Captain Jeremy Tennent, 6th Battalion, 52nd
Air Defense Artillery,
35th ADA Brigade Public Affairs
((9
August 2011/Posted 9 September 2011)
SUWON AIR BASE, South Korea - The 6th Battalion,
52nd Air Defense Artillery played host to the 35th Air
Defense Artillery Brigade Commander Colonel Eric Sanchez
(far left) and his senior Noncommissioned
Officer (NCO), Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Jerome
Wiggins (not pictured above), as they shared a
farewell meal with cadets visiting from the Cadet Troop
Leader Training (CTLT) program on 5 August 2011.
(To read Captain
Tennet's article, click on the photo above.)
|
BRIGADIER GENERAL HEIDI
V. BROWN OPENS
DOORS FOR WOMEN IN THE MILITARY
By Leah Garton
(MDA Shield/25 August 2011)
(Posted 8 September 2011)
In honor of Woman's National Equality Day (26 August
2011), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) officially
welcomed Brigadier General Heidi V. Brown to the Agency
as the Director for Test. BG Brown comes to MDA after
serving as the Director of Integration in the Office of
the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, in Washington D.C.
General Brown has recently been nominated for promotion
to Major General.
(To read more on how she has helped paved the way for women in
the military,
click on the poster above.)
|
POKING FUN THE ADA WAY
The following cartoons are provided for your enjoyment
by Sergeant Erin M. Smith, assigned to the 6th Air
Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
You can also enjoy the cartoons on the 6th ADA Brigade
Facebook site.
Thank you, SGT Smith for sharing them with us!
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UPCOMING
EVENTS
=====
ADA
ROUNDUP
WHEN:
Saturday, 8 October 2011
11:00 -1330 Hours
WHERE: Fort Belvoir
Officers' Club
COST:
$25.00
RSVP BY: 26 September 2011
(Click on the title above for full
information, registration form and strip map.)
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