GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics’ All Weather Integrated Clothing System

Archive for the ‘Army’ Category

US Army Selects Sierra Nevada Corporation as Lead System Integrator for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System

Tuesday, August 27th, 2024

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected the Sierra Nevada Corporation as the lead system integrator for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System today. The initial award on the 12-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is $93.5 million, with an overall ceiling of $991.3 million. HADES will provide transformational increases in speed, range, payload and endurance for Army aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

“This is a great day for the continuing effort to modernize the Army’s aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection strategy,” said Mr. Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. “The thoughtful and disciplined execution of the HADES program strategy will deliver the transformational capabilities we need for the Army’s next-generation aerial ISR aircraft.”

“HADES is the centerpiece of the Army’s long-promised aerial ISR transformation strategy,” said Lt. Gen. Anthony Hale, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2. “HADES allows the Army to fly higher, faster and farther, which directly impacts our ability to see and sense deeper, delivering an organic capability in line with the Secretary of the Army’s number-one operational imperative – deep sensing.”

With higher airspeeds and longer endurance, HADES will facilitate aerial ISR coverage for a much larger geographical area and will facilitate global deployment within days instead of the current transitional period of several weeks. This will adversely affect adversaries’ ability to plan and maneuver.

The Army began shaping the HADES program in 2020 to replace the legacy turboprop aircraft fleet currently comprised of the Guardrail, Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, and Airborne Reconnaissance Low aircraft, which have been in service for more than four decades. HADES prototypes will be the first Army-owned large-cabin business jets utilized for aerial ISR platforms.

“I am very proud of the entire HADES team, along with our intelligence, aviation and contracting enterprise partners, who have worked diligently to ensure that the Army delivers a new aerial ISR collection capability that meets the Army’s 2030 operational imperatives,” said Brig. Gen. David Phillips, Program Executive Officer, PEO Aviation. “HADES will allow our formations to see and sense farther and more persistently, providing an asymmetric advantage over our adversaries in large-scale operations and multidomain operations.”

As the Army transforms to meet an uncertain future, HADES is one of the many modernization capabilities that will help ensure that the Army of 2030 is ready and able to fight and win when the nation calls.

Soldier Center Aerial Delivery Experts Retire After Decades of Invaluable Army Service

Saturday, August 24th, 2024

NATICK, Mass. – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, or DEVCOM SC, recently celebrated the remarkable careers and well-deserved retirements of two aerial delivery experts with a staggering 116 years of combined service to the Army and nation.

Long-time colleagues, jump teammates, Army veterans, and close friends John Mahon and William (Bill) Millette formally retired from their Army civilian careers during a joint ceremony held June 23 at the Natick Soldier Systems Center (NSSC), in Natick, Massachusetts.

They were presented retirement certificates, flags, and several aerial delivery-related gifts. They also received certificates of appreciation from the Rhode Island Army National Guard, a local military partner and host of the annual Leapfest International Military Static Line Parachute competition. Mahon and Millette have routinely competed in Leapfest, representing DEVCOM and the U.S. Army Natick Parachute Team.

Mahon’s 55-year career includes 31 years on active-duty and 24 as a Department of the Army (DA) civilian.  Millette served 28 years in uniform on active-duty and in the Reserves, and more than 38 years as a DA civilian. Both men served their entire civilian careers at NSSC working for Soldier Center.

Since 2000, Mahon and Millette worked together on the Aerial Delivery Engineering Support Team (ADEST) under the center’s Aerial Delivery Division, performing the duties of a senior airdrop equipment specialist and senior mechanical engineer, respectively, where their military experiences, technical knowledge, and dedication to duty made them indispensable members of the organization and broader aerial delivery community.

During their time at Soldier Center, Mahon and Millette were instrumental in helping research, develop, and evaluate numerous cargo and personnel parachute systems to advance new aerial delivery technologies. A highlight of their combined efforts and technical accomplishments includes: the Low-Cost Low-Altitude (LCLA) cargo resupply system, the T-10 Parachute, Modified Improved Reserve Parachute System (MIRPS), the All-Purpose Weapons and Equipment Container (AIRPAC), serving as the designated lead for the C-17 developmental test efforts, and the C-130J program, among many other programs and technologies implemented.

They also provided a specialized function for the airdrop community by conducting formal investigations into parachute-related accidents across the Department of Defense, or DoD.

“The years of service and the incredibly long list of contributions these two aerial delivery SMEs [Subject Matter Experts] have provided the DoD, both in uniform and in their civilian careers, is enormous,” said Richard Benney, associate director of the Soldier Sustainment Directorate and former supervisor to both men as the previous Aerial Delivery Division director. “Countless Aerial Delivery Division SMEs have engaged John and Bill for input on various technical issues over the years and routinely for their historical knowledge.”

“The experience and expertise that John and Bill brought to the aerial delivery community was invaluable and they will be sorely missed,” said Jennifer Hunt, deputy to the associate director of the Soldier Sustainment Directorate and former ADEST coworker and fellow Natick Jump Team member. “They were both instrumental in making both cargo and personnel aerial delivery safer and more effective for all the U.S. service branches.”

One specific area of technical expertise that Mahon and Millette were both well-known for, according to Benney, was being the Army’s “go-to” SMEs for investigating parachute malfunctions. Occasionally, these malfunctions resulted in a paratrooper or jumper fatality. Within a few hours’ notice, they could be traveling to an accident location and be gone for weeks while completing their investigations.

“Airborne accident investigations were one of the most serious and challenging responsibilities of their jobs at Soldier Center,” said Benney.

At the request of the Combat Readiness Center, they would be assigned as the technical leads of an investigation team charged with determining exactly what happened and why. This required extensive technical expertise, detail-oriented focus and stamina, as they often spent countless, grueling hours ensuring that all the evidence was gathered, accurately recorded, and that interviews were conducted professionally and thoroughly.

The results of these investigations helped ensure that lessons learned were applied to materiel changes or revised tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP’s) to make sure it would never happen again.

“The entire aerial delivery community greatly appreciates their attention to detail and thoroughness during these investigations,” said Benney. “Their dedication has directly resulted in making the airborne community even safer.”

Millette’s career at Soldier Center began in January 1986, when he started as a student under the DA’s Scientist and Engineer Co-Op Program and ended with his 2024 retirement.

Millette’s early work involved resolving construction difficulties with the G-12 deployment bag, modifying packing procedures for the 35-foot ribbon parachute used in the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System, investigating the effect of 50% and 100% pocket bands on the opening time of the T-10 parachute, and supporting the development of the 60K airdrop system for the C-5 aircraft, including developing procedures for the extraction system and for the clustering of the 12 G-11 parachutes used in the system. He also managed the All-Purpose Weapons and Equipment Container (AIRPAC) and Parachutist Individual Equipment Rapid Release (PIE-R2) programs.

Millette was heavily involved with an Operational Support Cost Reduction (OSCR) proposal for the 15-foot static line, and the development of the Universal Static Line (USL). He combined his involvement with the OSCR program, the USL, and his experience with mountaineering equipment to modify a French snap hook so that it no longer needed to be sewed to the static line.

Instead, it could be easily joined with or removed from a static line, resulting in the current USL snap hook design that enables easy conversion between 15 and 20-ft lengths to accommodate jumping from various aircraft.

According to his biography, Millette also made significant contributions to the fielding of the Modified Improved Reserve Parachute System (MIRPS), including “a complete revision of the technical data package, testing of replacement pilot chute materials, resolving cone and grommet separation problems, identifying a solution to inadvertent deployments, and supporting technical manual revisions, contracting and quality assurance activities.”

Additionally, Millette was the lead author for the 2001 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics paper, titled, “Investigation of Methods to Improve Static Line Effective Strength,” and was a contributing author on two other AIAA papers, a 2002 Army Research Laboratory technical report, and a 2003 article in the journal Composite Structures, titled “Nonlinear Dynamic Behavior of Parachute Static Lines.”

These accomplishments demonstrate Millette’s engineering prowess and attention to detail – skills he utilized to make Army airborne operations safer.

During this time, Millette continued to serve in uniform as an Army officer as both a combat engineer and civil affairs officer, deploying multiple times to hot spots around the world in support of military operations, including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, or JTFHOA, in Djibouti.

“Bill was a great team member, both in and out of uniform,” said Soldier Center’s Aerial Delivery Division Chief Mike Henry. “He had several tours of duty in uniform and always returned to Natick ready to jump back in to support the Soldier in his civilian role.”

After his deployment to Africa, Millette returned to ADEST and was selected to participate in the Naval Postgraduate School Master of Science in Systems Engineering distance learning program, which he completed in 2015, the same year he completed his military service and entered the Retired Reserve.

“Bill dedicated his career to being and supporting the professional Soldier,” said Henry. “Over the course of his career, he designed and analyzed numerous pieces of aerial delivery equipment, always to ensure the Soldier had the safest, most capable tools to conduct their missions.”

“His knowledge and experience will be sincerely missed,” Henry added.

Mahon’s military service reads like a checklist of qualifications for his future civilian job. As a Soldier, he became intimately familiar with the existing T-10 Parachute, and from then on, he would learn all things parachute.

Enlisting in 1969 during the height of the Vietnam War, Mahon served in a variety of airdrop-related jobs, including as a parachute packer, parachute repairman, parachute training instructor, sling load instructor, parachute maintenance technician, and parachute rigger – jobs that laid a solid foundation of technical expertise.

His last assignment in uniform brought him to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (now called DEVCOM Soldier Center), where he served as a military liaison and senior parachute rigger. In November of 1999, Mahon retired from active duty as a highly decorated Chief Warrant Officer 4 with extensive experience.

After a few months working as a DOD contractor, Mahon was hired in March 2000 as an Army civilian in the role of Senior Airdrop Equipment Specialist for ADEST, where he also returned to jump status, using his military experience to provide guidance to personnel developing airdrop and aerial delivery equipment for Soldiers until his retirement in 2024.

At ADEST, Mahon led numerous field-failure investigations and was an active participant in the Materiel Review Board, The Joint Technical Airdrop Group, and numerous other DoD-level aerial delivery working groups, committees, and projects.

“John was a corner stone in the aerial delivery community for decades, from his active-duty career to his civilian service,” said Henry. “He had the knowledge and experience to quickly respond to any request the field had of him, often resulting in TDY at a moment’s notice. He possessed competencies that only exist after one has spent decades in the career field.”

Sharing and passing on his knowledge was a common theme expressed by former coworkers and teammates.

“He also worked diligently in his time leading up to departure to distribute his hard-learned lessons to others and will leave a lasting impact on both the civilian and military aerial delivery community,” said Henry.

“John had a unique ability to help his fellow engineers and scientists understand how airdrop worked,” said William Ricci, a senior research engineer at Soldier Center and Mahon’s former ADEST teammate.

While serving in his civilian capacity at Soldier Center, Mahon led the effort to rapidly field the Low- Cost Low-Altitude (LCLA) cargo resupply system for Soldiers serving in Afghanistan, where he deployed to help train operators to use the system. The LCLA went on to successfully execute uncountable small-unit resupply missions for Soldiers on the ground.

“Throughout my years in service, I was continuously involved with safety investigations, developing rigging procedures, or providing malfunction analysis to all branches of the services,” said Mahon. “I believe some of my analysis contributed to identifying training equipment shortfalls, training enhancements needed and overall reducing risks to the individual paratrooper.”

During his career, Mahon received numerous commendation awards and top honors for his work, most notably, his inductions into the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Hall of Fame, the U.S Army Parachute Riggers Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Army Quartermaster Hall of Fame. Feats only a relatively few other Soldiers have accomplished in the history of the Army.

Mahon retired with an incredibly distinguished professional career. He is highly revered for his technical expertise, his dedication to protecting Soldiers, and his fascinating, funny stories.

“John and Bill played major roles in establishing Soldier Center’s reputation as experts in the development and evaluation of aerial delivery technology,” said Doug Tamilio, director of DEVCOM Soldier Center. “Their careers, both in uniform and as civilians — including investigating accidents caused by personnel parachute malfunctions — improved the safety of DoD airborne operations and advanced the aerial sustainment of warfighters for generations to come.”

“We honor their contributions to the Army aerial delivery community, and we will greatly miss their presence at Soldier Center,” said Tamilio.

LAST JUMP

One of the reasons Mahon and Millette were so proficient at their jobs was that they remained on active jump status throughout their civilian careers, giving them continued personal experience using the same equipment that they helped develop and improve for Soldiers, often with and alongside them.

Their extensive experience using the personnel airdrop equipment over the course of their military and civilian careers provided invaluable direct insight and served as an essential tool in shaping design and performance feedback, and honed their expertise, which they passionately applied to protecting Soldiers.

It was also simply a fun part of their jobs. Not just for the thrill and challenge of parachute jumping itself, which they clearly enjoyed, but for remaining a part of the Army airborne community and the comradery of jumping with coworkers on the Natick Parachute Team, which is comprised of both military and civilian jump-qualified employees working on the NSSC installation.

“I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve had no major jump incidents,” said Mahon. “But that experience, and having lived those scenarios, is invaluable to the work that we do and for understanding [parachute] deployments. It reinforces the idea that we need to make sure the equipment we make is safe, reliable and capable.”

So how did they end their decades of being on active jump status? With one more jump, naturally.

Two weeks before their retirement ceremony, Mahon and Millette both completed their last official military static line parachute jump for the Army during combined airborne operations training between the Natick Parachute Team, and the Rhode Island Army National Guard on June 7 at Flintstone Drop Zone in West Greenwich, Rhode Island.

There, Mahon capped his combined military and civilian 55-year airborne career with his 1159th and final Army jump during the training event, while Millette’s final was his 110th.

They were the first jumpers out of the aircraft, the first to land, and then celebrated by their fellow jumpers as they came off the drop zone.

There was no fanfare, no special awards. Just fellow jumpers, Soldiers, and coworkers waiting to congratulate them on the last official jump of their amazing careers, and the combined 116 years they carried with them.

By Jeff Sisto, DEVCOM Soldier Center Public Affairs

Command Post Exercise Ensures 10th Mountain Division Prepared for Operations

Friday, August 23rd, 2024

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — Clear and consistent communication is how the 10th Mountain Division (LI) maintains an advantage in combat, but it’s not a skill that comes without constant refinement and rehearsal of coordination strategies.

Command Post Exercise 1D, held Aug. 12-16, 2024, on Fort Drum, is designed to address this domain and get Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, the hands-on experience needed to succeed in operational settings.

Soldiers participating in CPX-1D are tasked with establishing, maintaining, operating and relocating command posts. Command posts are collections of critical communication infrastructure established in operational environments that quickly and effectively disperse information to Soldiers on the ground, crucial to the success of their mission.

“They’re really the heart of the division,” said Maj. Richard Steinouer, the executive officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division. “The order that comes from the highest general, down to the lowest Soldier, comes from these command nodes that we’re establishing.”

CPX-1D allows Soldiers to refamiliarize themselves with practices they’ll need to be ready to execute but also allows them to learn and use new technologies and outlets to accomplish their duties. The Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System Artillery Execution Suite is one of the new technologies that 10th Mountain Division Soldiers participating in CPX-1D had the opportunity to use for the first time.

The AFATDS AXS augments the ability to conduct fire missions by streamlining the information presented to the Soldier, accelerating the process by which information is transmitted to the operator, and introducing new channels to work from, such as detaching and operating as a tablet.

“The Army’s all about speed, and we have to make sure that the software that we develop also matches the speed of need,” said Maj. Henry Castillo, an assistant program manager assigned to the U.S. Army Project Executive Office. “We have to make sure that it can react properly to every single new threat from a near-peer adversary.”

Gaining experience with systems like the AFATDS AXS builds familiarity with the necessary tactics, techniques, and practices that will become critical to the 10th Mountain Division when operating in practical environments. Without the ability to rapidly construct and function in command posts in high-stress situations, the 10th Mountain Division loses one of its greatest strengths: its clear, consistent, and concise communication.

“Without those command nodes and the network they need with the right people at the right node, you’re not going to be able to do any kind of mission command,” Steinouer said. “The only way to do it well is to do it over and over again.”

By SPC Kade Bowers

Fluent in Unity: How LEAP Airmen Powered Joint Success at Arcane Thunder 24

Thursday, August 22nd, 2024

Air Force Lt. Col. Rodrigo Ocampo, Capt. Cassaundra Preston and Staff Sgt. Arnaud Agbo arrived on July 24, 2024, in Morocco ready to support Arcane Thunder 24 with a unique skill set and capabilities that extended beyond traditional military strategy. Their team focused on a specific domain that has not yet been mastered by a piece of technology – human interactions. The team of three volunteered through the Language Enabled Airman Program, also known as LEAP, to serve as linguistic and cultural experts. Their presence supported the mission at hand and deepened the connections between the U.S. and Morocco, showcasing the critical role of language and cultural integration in joint military operations.

Arcane Thunder 24 was a complex, multi-domain exercise that tested the interoperability between the U.S. Army and Moroccan Royal Armed Forces. Ocampo and Preston assisted with integration by serving as linguists during the training. Agbo moved with teams on the ground to support multiple elements. Although their uniform might have been different than that of the U.S. Army and Moroccan military members they served alongside, they were a vital bridge between the two.

“Our LEAP partners were instrumental in the successful completion of Arcane Thunder 24,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Ritzema, the 2nd Multi-Domain Effects Battalion commander. “They brought a high level of cultural and linguistic expertise that benefited our daily operations. Additionally, they rounded out our Joint Force and provided creative solutions to exercise specific challenges.”

As Arcane Thunder 24 unfolded, the airmen forged relationships that assisted both nations. Each of the LEAP scholars proved to be a valuable addition to the exercise in unique ways.

For Ocampo, Preston, and Agbo, this was their first experience in a joint exercise as LEAP scholars. Preston hails from California and has developed a passion for travel. Volunteering for LEAP opportunities has allowed her to gain experience in different countries and work alongside other cultures as an advisor during operations.

“I saw LEAP as an opportunity to travel and experience different cultures,” she said. “We bonded with the Moroccan soldiers over meals and over our love of communicating in different languages.”

While speaking about the value of utilizing uniformed service members in the role of cultural experts, Preston added, “Leaders often undervalue the importance of culture, and as LEAP scholars, we are able to demonstrate that value at the organizational level.”

Ocampo led the team of interpreters during Arcane Thunder 24, but more importantly, he built a cohesive team of trusted experts within the staff. His duties ranged from teaching and translating cyber domain classes to assisting and coordinating events for distinguished visitors. Ocampo demonstrated the power of joint operations and integration by extending his knowledge of technical skills and culture beyond the walls of the tactical operations center. It was a regular occurrence to find him assisting U.S. and Moroccan soldiers anywhere in the exercise.

“LEAP provides organizations with scholars that have a high aptitude in both language and culture,” said Ocampo. “We are able to use our skills to advise on ways to connect with our counterparts from different regions and cultures.” Ocampo has served in joint units before but said that he gained a new perspective working as a cultural advisor for the 2nd MDEB.

As airmen, all three LEAP scholars described the need to learn the Army language initially. Agbo focused on gaining credibility with both counterparts by volunteering to join them on every mission, including recovering downed equipment at night. “The team consisted of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, and we were all able to get together as one team,” said Agbo. “We were all equally exhausted, but we knew what we had to do, and we were able to come together and stay motivated to accomplish the mission.”

Agbo was pivotal as a linguist and cultural expert, ensuring that multiple teams received linguistic support at two separate training areas during Arcane Thunder 24. His dedication to the team was highlighted at the final dinner by numerous leaders within the 2nd MDEB. “Having a positive mindset and energy shows people that we are here to be a part of the team,” said Agbo. “When both the Moroccans and U.S. Army are comfortable with us, we can build the relationship and develop a bond that creates a strong team.”

Agbo was born and raised in West Africa and emigrated to the United States when he was 19. He said he decided to join the U.S. Air Force to serve his new country. “One thing I believe is that if you find something good, you should always try to make it better,” said Agbo. “Serving in the military was my opportunity to serve my country, leave my imprint, and try to make my country better.”

LEAP solves a commonly experienced friction point across military exercises – language and cultural integration. The force multiplier program puts uniformed service members in the position to aid and enhance joint partnerships. The Department of Defense reported approximately 3,500 multi-capable, language-enabled airmen with proficiencies in over 97 languages.

Part of the program maintains deployment readiness for the LEAP scholars to deploy to support joint operations worldwide. The unique aspect of the program is that it brings together the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and international allies and partners.

“This was my first time being embedded in an Army staff,” said Ocampo when asked about his experience at Arcane Thunder 24. “I got to experience the Army culture while working in the field with the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, and I am really glad that I got to have such a diverse experience.”

Arcane Thunder 24 was held in Morocco this year for the first time. The exercise proved to be a step towards strengthening the U.S. relationship with Morocco. Integration of the staff elements was made more accessible by placing airmen as linguists and cultural experts to be the connective tissue between the U.S. Army and the Moroccan military.

Story by CPT Michael Mastrangelo

Photos by SSG Rene Rosas

TacJobs – US Army Direct Commissioning Program

Wednesday, August 21st, 2024

The US military has been direct commissioning Chaplains as well as legal and medical professionals for decades.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (NDAA 2019) gave the armed services authorities to directly commission officers up to the rank of Colonel, expanding the career fields eligible.

For example, MAJ Chris Young is the first to direct commission into the Army Acquisition Corps. He took his Oath of Office Aug. 16 at Fort Moore.

For more information, visit talent.army.mil/direct-commissioning.

US Army Seeks Powered Parachute Capability aka Personnel Air Mobility System (PAMS)

Wednesday, August 21st, 2024

Yesterday, the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command-Soldier Center‘s Soldier Sustainment Directive (DEVCOM-SC SSD) published a sources sought notice to industry to to identify potential sources for a Personnel Air Mobility capability to ensure freedom of movement in Contested Environments. They plan to procure this system via an Other Transaction Authority.

As demonstrated by SOF during May’s SOF Week capabilities exercise, a PAMS will provide an additional option to the unit commander, supporting freedom of action in remote and austere locations. This new system will be capable of transporting individual warfighters hundreds of kilometers, reducing dependency on traditional aircraft platforms and extending the range available through traditional parachute infiltration systems. A militarized powered paraglider platform is envisioned to provide both low-altitude (nap-of-the-earth and/or contour-level flight) infiltration and exfiltration capability to increase survivability and avoid detection by the enemy as well as higher-altitude (up to approximately 10,000 feet mean sea level) transit where possible given appropriate threat profile and mission parameters. The PAMS will support multiple mission types including reconnaissance, surveillance, troop movement, infiltration and exfiltration. This new PAMS will also significantly reduce the cost to deliver/transport warfighters over traditional means. 

According to the notice, PAMS is planned to be developed to support the U.S. Army’s Airborne forces by addressing a capability gap to provide unit organic personnel air mobility to support freedom of movement in contested environments. Future battlefield threats are expected to require disbursed operations by small units in complex, contested environments. Traditional air assets, including fixed wing and rotary wing transport aircraft, will likely be unavailable for the movement of small teams due to supporting other missions and the difficulty of operating these vehicles in anti-access/area denial threat areas. To overcome the challenges of conducting operations in this space, a concept of expanded maneuver in all domains calls for new platforms that can provide low-cost mobility solutions over extended ranges which are available at the individual unit/warfighter level.

Desired System Performance Parameters:

Range

Threshold 100 kilometers

Objective 300 kilometers

Total System Weight (dry)

Threshold 75 pounds

Objective 60 pounds

Weight Capacity

Threshold 200 to 350 pounds

Objective 150 to 400 pounds

Maximum Altitude

Threshold 10,000 feet mean sea level

Objective 20,000 feet mean sea level

The textile components must be Berry Compliant.

To respond, submit a Broad Other Transaction Authority Announcement (BOTAA) preproposal as outlined in the DEVCOM Soldier Center BOTAA DEVCOM-SC BOTAA 22-01 located here.

1st Armored Division Soldiers validate combat capabilities at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex

Wednesday, August 21st, 2024

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, fired their tanks, howitzers and Bradleys during the live-fire portion of their rapid deployment readiness exercise at Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex, South Korea, Aug. 5-9, 2024.

The battalion, based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, arrived during the final week of July and drew their combat equipment from Army prepositioned stock maintained on the Korean Peninsula by the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and 403rd Army Field Support Brigade. The 25th Transportation Battalion transported 1ABCT’s newly donned equipment from Daegu city to RLFC for the live-fire validation.

After zeroing their weapons, 1ABCT Soldiers fired their M1A2 Abrams tanks, M109-A6 Paladins and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles throughout the week.

“Task Force Thunderbolts received a no notice deployment exercise where we were able to demonstrate our ability to project combat power into the Indo-Pacific under a condensed timeline,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Lorete, 4th Battalion commander. “We rapidly drew our combat fleet from the Army Preposition Stock-4 to assist the Army in validating its combat readiness in a critical area of responsibility.”

On July 17, 4th Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment Soldiers were notified they would leave Fort Bliss for a no-notice deployment readiness exercise. Six days later, they began drawing their combat equipment at Camp Carroll, South Korea. This deployment readiness exercise is part of Pacific Fortitude, which is part of a longstanding agreement to support the Republic of Korea – U.S. alliance.

The rapid deployment exercise is a standard, routine readiness validation where a U.S. Army unit is tested on its ability to rapidly deploy personnel successfully to a given environment, conduct training and redeploy back to their home station. This exercise also tests the swift deployment and decisive utilization of vehicles and equipment already present on the Korean peninsula. Army Prepositioned Stock-4, or APS-4, are strategically placed caches of warfighting equipment in Korea and Japan that serve as a critical component of the U.S. Army’s ability to rapidly project combat power throughout the Indo-Pacific.

“We are extremely proud of our team who worked tirelessly to prepare our equipment to conduct squad and platoon collective training, culminating in tank platoon live-fires and a combined ROK-U.S. mechanized infantry platoon live-fire,” Lorete said. “This opportunity to train as part of Pacific Fortitude enhances our operational readiness enabling our team to grow and learn every day and reinforces our commitment to the ROK in maintaining security and stability on the Korean peninsula. It is an honor to train side by side with our Republic of Korea Army partners increasing readiness and winning every day.”

Pacific Fortitude enhances the U.S. Army’s combat readiness and the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, and further strengthens security and stability on the Korean peninsula. All professional militaries train on routine and continuously executed events to maintain readiness, proficiency, credibility, and trust.

By Eighth Army Public Affairs Office

US Army Soldiers Assemble Across NATO’s Eastern Flank for Norwegian Foot March

Monday, August 19th, 2024

FORWARD OPERATING SITE POWIDZ, Poland — From as far out as Romania to Estonia, Soldiers who support NATO missions across NATO’s eastern flank arrived at the 33 Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego (33rd Air Transport Base) of the Polish Air Force to conduct the 30 km (18.6 miles) Norwegian Foot March.

The march was first held in 1915 as a test of marching endurance for soldiers in the Norwegian Army, with the goal being to move a large number of troops over a great distance and have them be combat-ready even after completing the march. The Norwegian Foot March has since evolved into a coveted foreign service badge that can be earned by U.S. service members due to its challenging nature.

Spearheaded by Staff Sgt. Ramon Figueroa and Staff Sgt. Letzy Williamsperez of Alpha Company, 553rd Division Sustainment Support Battalion, ‘Task Force Gunslinger,’ of the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade, the ‘Task Force Wagonmaster’ organizers successfully assisted more than 300 candidates overnight across two days. The candidates, ranging in age from 18 to 53, came from permanent stations in Poland to rotational forces deployed across NATO’s eastern flank.

Candidates had to march 30 km with an 11kg (24 lbs.) rucksack and complete the march within a designated amount of time, depending on the candidates’ age group and gender. There are seven age groups, with the second age group having the largest age range (21-34-year-olds) and the most demanding time standards (five hours, 15 minutes for women, and four hours, 30 minutes for men).

For some, this was an exciting new challenge.

“It’s a mental challenge, it’s a physical challenge, and without challenges, there’s no fun,” said Spc. Malaika Lukata, a human resources specialist with the 53rd Transportation Battalion, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, home stationed in Joint-Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

For Lukata, whose unit is forward deployed to Forward Operating Site Powdiz, this was her first attempt at the Norwegian Foot March, and she successfully completed it in five hours and eight minutes.

“I think the people around me definitely helped,” said Lukata when asked about her experience during the Norwegian Foot March.

The camaraderie and everybody coming together and helping one another was what Lukata found most enjoyable about this experience.

Upon completion of the event, Lukata is authorized to wear the NFM badge in Bronze, which is a badge given to those who have completed the NFM their first time.

Participants who have completed the march two to four times are authorized to wear the badge in Silver, whereas those who have completed the march five or more times will have earned the badge in Gold.

For others, this was an opportunity for redemption.

1st. Lt. Carson Deushane, an armor platoon leader with 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Cavazos, Texas, first attempted the Norwegian Foot March while a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps but missed the time mark for a gut-wrenching reason.

“One of the paths actually branched off to the right where there’s a straightaway, and I accidentally went down the straightaway about a mile and a half before I realized that was the wrong way,” said Deushane, whose unit is currently deployed to Bemowo Piskie Training Area (BPTA), near the Poland-Lithuania Border.

Despite ‘booking’ it back to the finish line, to complete the march in time, the additional three miles proved to be too costly.

“I missed the time by about five minus,” Deuschane recalled.

Deushane commenced the planning and execution of this NFM. “I just appreciate them hosting this and actually reaching out to our battalion,” he said.

This time around, Deushane successfully completed the NFM and earned his badge in Bronze, finishing with a time of four hours and 16 minutes.

In addition to Deushane, there are Soldiers like Capt. Huayra Ferrufino, the sustainment (S-4) officer assigned to the 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, with the Virginia National Guard. She was the first female to finish the ruck march, with an astonishing time of four hours and 27 minutes. What makes it more remarkable is that she did not extensively train for it.

“I tried to train [for it], but the most I’ve gotten is six miles, to be honest,” said Ferrufino when asked what kind of training she did to prepare for the NFM. “It was a great experience [and it] definitely tests your endurance throughout … I loved it.”

Ferrufino, whose unit is currently deployed to Forward Operating Site Karliki, Poland, not only earned an NFM Badge after completing the event, but she also went away with a medal around her neck. After the event, organizers awarded her the title of fastest female finisher. The first-place male finisher was also given an award.

Nearly all participants who completed this event said that other Soldiers should take this challenge head-on and test themselves. Even if they are unsuccessful in meeting the time requirements to earn their respective badge, the camaraderie of the event and the potential growth Soldiers could experience by pushing themselves to their limits is an opportunity that ought not to be squandered.

By CPT Zemas Andargachew