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Army’s First Long Range Fires Battalion Activates Second Mid-Range Capability Battery

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — The 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, the Army’s first Long Range Fires Battalion, conducted a ceremony on January 11, 2024, at the base to activate the second mid-range capability battery in support of multi-domain operations.

“The activation of Delta Battery, 5-3 FA expands our Long Range Fires Battalion capacity to support our Joint Indo-Pacific Mission — providing a credible, land-based maritime strike capability. Elements of this battery are already projected to operate in the Pacific later this year, a testament to our Army’s continuous transformation priority,” said Brig. Gen. Bernard Harrington, commander of the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force.

During the ceremony, the command shared the unique history of the unit and outlined a vision for what the activation means for the future of multi-domain operations.

“I always like to refer to the crest up here, the distinguished unit insignia, and one of the things you see on there is the dragon symbol. This is one of the few units in the Army today — and really across the joint force — that’s got credit for a campaign on mainland China. And so that is not a reminder for us to try to get back into China. That’s a reminder that we never want to go there again,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Blane, commander of 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, underscoring the importance of the battalion’s mission to enable integrated deterrence in the Pacific.

“So ultimately, we strive to deter the next fight. But if this is unsuccessful, I know that this unit stands ready to complete its mission of providing counter maritime capability in the Pacific,” said Blane.

The new battery command team for the unit is Capt. Michael J. Geissler and 1st Sgt. Jeremiah O. Bosley.

“Throughout this year, this battery will face the challenges that come with forming a combat credible force in the Pacific with a new unit and a new weapon system. We will overcome and succeed through each of these challenges together to help us prepare for the greater challenges ahead,” said Geissler.

The MRC uses the Navy’s SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles as part of the initial prototype. The system will incorporate future missile capabilities as they become available, expanding the effectiveness of mid-range capabilities.

The 1st Multi-Domain Task Force is an Indo-Pacific assigned, theater-level unit. Multi-domain task forces are maneuver elements that synchronize long-range precision fires and effects in all domains to neutralize adversary anti-access and area denial networks.

Story by CPT Ryan DeBooy

Photos by Caitlyn Davies and SPC Michael Lopez

Washington Guard Soldiers, Thai Airmen Share Air Search and Rescue Tips

Saturday, January 20th, 2024

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. — Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation and a Tactical Air Control Party Airman from the 116th Air Support Operations Squadron shared knowledge with the Royal Thai Air Force during two aviation subject matter expert exchanges.

“One point that I think is interesting about this is that we sent an Army Aviation team supported with an Air JTAC to engage with the Royal Thai Air Force on search and rescue and then they pivoted to an aviation engagement with the Royal Thai Army,” said Lt. Col. Keith Kosik, director of the Washington National Guard’s State Partnership Program. “This reflects the future of our program. Increasingly joint in the teams we send, which brings a myriad of capabilities and perspectives, and able to engage across services with our partners. Not just Army to Army or Air to Air, but a blend of people and capabilities.”

The Washington National Guard and Thailand have been partners under the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 2002.

From Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 in Lopburi, Kingdom of Thailand, the Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airman shared best practices for search and rescue operations.

“Washington Army National Guard aviation personnel exchanged information and practices with the Royal Thai Air Force by providing aviation medical evacuation, crash site and personnel recovery and distributed adaptive real-time teams for cross-level training,” said Capt. Taylor Payne, 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation, and officer in charge of the exchanges.

In the past few years, the 1-168th GSAB has supported search and rescue efforts for missing or injured climbers and hikers in the state. Discussing these experiences was helpful during the exchanges.

“They were overtly happy with our integration of knowledge and tactics, techniques and procedures for search and rescue and humanitarian assistance,” said Payne. “The exchange helped build a foundation for future engagements and points of interest for defense support to civil authorities’ operations.”

During the week-long exchange, the team focused on search and rescue procedures with an emphasis on personnel recovery. The training also integrated Thai combat controllers for on-site airspace deconfliction. A U.S. team provided a search and rescue scenario and evaluation for both teams to work through during the final staff exercise.

“The exchange was successful in that we shared general knowledge on search and rescue with humanitarian assistance for civilian response and worked through constraints,” said Payne.

The following week, the Soldiers from the 1-168th GSAB traveled to the Royal Thai Army’s Aviation Headquarters in Lopburi to take part in an aviation subject matter expert exchange with air crews from the Royal Thai Army’s 9th Aviation Battalion. The exchange continues a long-term relationship between the two nations’ rotary wing communities.

“The team identified aviation operations, training, maintenance, supply, and standards needs,” said Payne. “We also identified challenges and opportunities in order to build a foundation for future engagements.

“It was important to share these stories with them,” Payne said. “It shows that the safety training we do can save lives.”

By Joseph Siemandel, Joint Force Headquarters – Washington National Guard

Climb to Connectivity: 10th Mountain Division’s Alpine Legacy Echoes in Hunter EMS Mission

Friday, January 19th, 2024

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Dec. 7, 2023) – In a poignant echo of the 10th Mountain Division’s historic roots, two seasoned warriors shaped by the division’s legacy embarked on a perilous ascent of Whiteface Mountain, towering at an elevation of 4,867 feet.

Rooted in a tradition forged during World War II, where the division played a pivotal role in the Italian Alps, these Soldiers drew inspiration from their predecessors who braved the harsh terrain to dislodge German forces.

Tasked with a mission crucial for Hunter EMS VIIb, an exercise where Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division Artillery (DIVARTY) executed electronic warfare tactics, Lt. Col. Gregory Eldridge, 10th Mountain Division deputy fire support coordinator, and Staff Sgt. Alex Miner, a fire direction noncommissioned officer from DIVARTY’s Fire Control Element, faced a race against time.

“We’re trying to see what electronic warfare assets can do against our systems so we can defeat it in the future,” Eldridge explained.

The exercise, held on Fort Drum and Ethan Allen, Vermont, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5, aimed to validate and improve the division’s operational capacity in an ever-evolving battlefield by combining kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

“In addition to the electronic warfare, we conducted some training with radars,” Eldridge added. “We did a lot of work with the extension of line-of-sight communications.”

The previous day’s efforts to drive up the access road to Whiteface summit were thwarted by a snowed-in road and gate. This obstacle hindered industry partners from installing a directional antenna atop the mountain, vital for completing a line-of-sight linkage between Fort Drum and Ethan Allen.

“At the end of the day, we needed to get that antenna up to the top of that mountain,” Eldridge said. “I knew that there was a route to get there, and I had the equipment to get there. I just wanted to ensure that we had exhausted every means possible to extend the line of sight as far as possible.”

The two Soldiers ascended Whiteface on Dec. 5, the last day to attempt establishing communications between Fort Drum and Ethan Allen; it was all or nothing.

“To say Lt. Col. Eldridge and Staff Sgt. Miner’s efforts were crucial to the successes in extending line-of-sight communications during Hunter EMS VIIb is an understatement,” said Maj. Mark Smerka, DIVARTY fire support officer.

This was the unit’s last chance to attempt closing the communications link between Fort Drum and Ethan Allen before industry partners would have to depart for other obligations.

“If it weren’t for Lt. Col. Eldridge and Staff Sgt. Miner’s commitment to the challenge before them, we could only establish communications at approximately half the distance we did achieve,” Smerka added.

With the technical analysis underscoring the peak’s critical role in closing the communication link east of New York state, Eldridge and Miner volunteered for the challenging task.

“It takes specialized equipment to get there,” Eldridge explained. “I just wanted to get the job done.”

In less than 10 hours, they prepared for the cold trek, driving two hours from Ethan Allen, where they were supporting Hunter EMS VII, to commence their ascent at first light.

Their journey, spanning five miles, mirrored the division’s historical feats in the Italian Alps.

“I don’t know if it necessarily impacted my decision to volunteer to do it,” Eldridge said. “But you certainly think about it when you’re feeling sorry for yourself on the five-mile trip up, knowing full well that our forefathers went a lot further and were getting shot at.”

Battling a minus-2-degree wind chill, the trio, including industry partner Pat Murray, reached the summit. Despite the adversity, the two Soldiers, drawing on the division’s mountain warfare training, successfully installed communication gear at the observatory.

As they conducted troubleshooting efforts in conditions reminiscent of the division’s past battles, the communication link between Fort Drum and Ethan Allen proved elusive. Within 45 minutes, the weather turned on them.

“At first, it wasn’t too bad, and we didn’t have to troubleshoot too much. We just had to change the positioning of the antenna,” Eldridge said. “From our end, it was just a matter of finding where to put it, and then once we did that, we were able to establish the link.”

However, their selfless service paid homage to the 10th Mountain Division’s enduring legacy.

“I think it was appropriate, and it’s something that we as a light infantry force should be used to doing,” Eldridge said. “We just carried stuff in a ruck and got to a location and executed a mission.”

“And that’s really what the 10th Mountain’s about,” he added. “That’s what Alpine’s about. It’s about moving in small teams with your feet, skis, or snowshoes to a discreet place to do a distinct thing.”

The establishment of a digital line-of-sight link spanning 82 miles further solidified their place in the proud history of a division forged in the crucible of alpine warfare.

By CPT Eric-James Estrada

27th Public Affairs Detachment

Army Intelligence Leader: ‘Cultural Shift’ Will Help Service Become Data Centric

Thursday, January 18th, 2024

WASHINGTON — To better acquire and access data on the battlefield, the Army has revamped how it integrates data across warfighting functions, an Army intelligence leader said.

To continue on its maturity path in fiscal year 2024, the Army needs a “cultural shift” to organically transform how the service uses data, said the service’s chief intelligence officer David Pierce.

“While the Army is taking the right steps toward becoming more data-centric, technology is not enough to solve enterprise data challenges,” Pierce said. “Cultural shifts are required to change how the Army views the value of data.”

The branch will take its next steps toward becoming more data centric by moving from a “managed” maturity level to a “proactive” one, Pierce said. This includes bolstering its data literacy programs, improving data management processes, and raising the level of how Army intelligence shares and communicates with data, he added.

To improve the Army’s ability to work with data, Soldiers and civilians of all ranks must become more data literate; improving how they write, understand, analyze, and communicate information.

Introduced in fall 2022, the Army Data Plan established a service-wide framework that adopted a new governance model focused on giving the warfighter advantages through proper data use. The initiative falls in line with the Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth’s pledge for the Army to become more data centric.

Accurate, timely data will enable commanders to make informed battlefield decisions according to the Army’s Data Plan.

The Army changed roles and responsibilities for to become more effective in its data management process, Pierce said. Army units assigned “data champions” to foster a culture of data centricity. Pierce added that Army Intelligence has encouraged innovation by supporting small, successful intelligence communities including one at Fort Eisenhower, Georgia.

There, the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade Pierce said Army Intelligence wanted to learn from the brigade’s successes and adopt and scale their practices across all of Army Intelligence.

Similar to what the 513th created at Fort Eisenhower, Army Intelligence and Security Command, or INSCOM, intelligence data science groups scheduled “hackathons” where intelligence professionals could meet and share ideas while solving real world challenges.

The 513th MIB and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point formed a Data Literacy Task Force to improve the unit’s understanding and use of data. The task force achieved that goal by having intelligence professionals take Data 101, West Point’s data literacy course.

The task force encourages innovative solutions while boosting data literacy and readiness, which in turn helps intelligence brigades in real world missions, said Col. Molly Solsbury, 513th MI Brigade commander. Pierce said data accessibly also plays a significant role in multi domain operations, part of joint, all-domain operations.

“Multi-domain operations is largely informed by what a commander can see, both strategically across the globe and within their battlespace,” Pierce said. “Access to the data … is critical to achieving decision advantage. While the Army still has improvements it needs to make to its sensor capacity, the data we have today still needs to be able to be discovered and delivered to the right platforms and tools of choice.

Pierce said that as the Army’s access to data expands, the service will have more emerging opportunities to find insights that inform commanders’ decisions and create better strategic outcomes. Accessible data will also raise the speed of those decisions.”

“The landscape of data has foundationally changed with globalization and the overwhelming increase of digital information,” Pierce said. “While data has always been critical, the growing scale with which the Army works with data and the breadth of available digital systems and networks that connect them changes how the Army consumes and transforms data into actionable insights and knowledge that commanders can use for decision-making.”

Pierce added that the service’s ability to access and use data directly impacts the Army’s global operations dedicated to addressing worldwide security threats.

By Joe Lacdan, Army News Service

Army Depot Leads Way in Transitioning to Safer Firefighting Foam

Wednesday, January 17th, 2024

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Letterkenny Army Depot made considerable strides in supporting the Army’s three-pronged approach to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.

In line with the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020, which prohibits the use of fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, at any military installation after Oct. 1, 2024, LEAD Fire and Emergency Services transitioned all three of their engines to the updated military specifications for land and maritime firefighting agent, fluorine-free foam, known as FFF.

Under the direction of Fire Chief Dave McGlynn and the supervision of Fire Capt. Scott McGonigal, the LEAD Fire and Emergency Services team successfully transitioned Engine 13-1 with a 50-gallon capacity, and Engines 13-2 and 13-3 with 30-gallon capacities each, Dec. 12 – 13, 2023.

“This achievement not only underscores the Army’s commitment to environmental stewardship and public health but also positions Letterkenny Army Depot and its Fire and Emergency Services team as a benchmark in military environmental initiatives,” McGlynn said. “Our success in transitioning to PFAS-free firefighting solutions exemplifies the Army’s role as a leader in sustainable and health-conscious practices.”

As LEAD embarks on supporting the Army’s Organic Industrial Base 15-year Modernization Implementation Plan, environmental and operational initiatives such as the fluorine-free foam transition postures LEAD Fire and Emergency Services to support modernization efforts.

“This transition will ensure that LEAD Fire and Emergency Services is properly equipped to offer safer protection to the depot during the modernization and construction phase,” McGlynn remarked. “In addition, this will help us continue to offer our service to the depot and surrounding community in a safer way.”

Letterkenny’s Fire and Emergency Services department services the entire installation and supports the Franklin County community through mutual aid agreements.

“The fact that this foam is PFAS-free ensures that we can deliver safer foam in our emergency response,” McGlynn stated. “Through Franklin County Fire Chief’s Association meetings, I’ve learned that Franklin County is also in the process of transitioning the foam on apparatuses throughout the county.”

The LEAD Fire and Emergency Services team worked in close coordination with the Directorate of Public Works and the Environmental Division to safely transfer and dispose of the old fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam.

“This transition was successfully accomplished through the mutual partnership and support from the entire Letterkenny team,” McGlynn said. “As in everything, communication is the key to success. This particular effort was a success because of the relationships and good communication between LEAD, Army Materiel Command and Aviation and Missile Command.”

LEAD and the Army are collaborating on a comprehensive assessment of areas where PFAS-containing chemicals were used and stored on-post. The results of this assessment and information gathered from groundwater sampling, performed in cooperation with local residents, will be used to develop an effective strategy to remediate the effects of past discharges.

“Removing all the fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam from Letterkenny ensures that a potential source of PFAS is eliminated,” stated Amy Renshaw, a physical scientist and installation restoration program manager and BRAC environmental coordinator for LEAD. “This transition greatly supports our assessment and helps ensure the success of the PFAS removal efforts.”

Limited sampling conducted during an onsite assessment at Letterkenny in 2021 found that locations related to past fire training with potential releases showed elevated PFOA/PFOS concentrations. The assessment led Letterkenny to seek to test off-post drinking water wells that could potentially be affected due to depot operations.

In July 2022, the U.S. Army conducted testing of 20 drinking water wells on private properties, including two community wells serving multiple residences, near the depot and found zero wells with concentrations that exceed 70 parts per trillion, the Environmental Protection Agency’s former lifetime health advisory level.

In a continued effort to determine potentially affected areas, Letterkenny is preparing to expand the evaluation area later this year. The Army will be contacting owners of properties adjacent to the depot to seek permission to test the quality of drinking water in wells. These tests will help assess if past industrial operations have potentially impacted the wells’ water.

The Army prohibits the use of AFFF for maintenance, testing and training on its installations and only uses AFFF for emergency responses. Now that the transition has occurred, LEAD will no longer utilize AFFF for emergency response.

“Firefighting is already an inherently dangerous job, and we felt it was vitally important to expedite this process once given the opportunity. The hope is to start a trend to get the rest of fire and emergency services to remove and replace theirs sooner than later,” McGlynn shared. “The successful replacement of PFAS-containing AFFF at Letterkenny Army Depot represents a significant stride toward a safer, more environmentally responsible military. It sets a precedent for other installations and services, highlighting the feasibility and urgency of transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives for a healthier and safer future.”

Letterkenny Army Depot is the Army’s premier professional organic maintenance facility that provides overhaul, repair and modifications for tactical missile air defense and space systems, electric power generation equipment and various military vehicles, support systems and protection programs. LEAD is a subordinate of U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, and is the Air and Missile Defense and Long Range Precision Fires depot, supporting systems for the Department of Defense, foreign partners and industry. Letterkenny Army Depot was established in 1942 and is a government-owned and -operated industrial installation located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

By Dorie Heyer

Army Asks for Help in Alleviating Burden on Missile Air and Missile Defense Soldiers

Tuesday, January 16th, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Army and the joint force must help reduce the stress of heavily tasked Soldiers in air and missile defense formations, an Army leader told lawmakers on Dec. 7.

The Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense force has taken increased importance in ongoing combat operations, said Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey, director of the Joint Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office and director of fires, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Planning and Training. U.S. Army air and missile defense deployments worldwide have greatly impacted Soldiers and their families, he said.

“We’ve asked a lot of our air and missile defense formations, and in every instance, they have responded to every call,” Gainey said to the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces. “The cost has been decreased time [at] home. It’s having a strain on the force. Army leadership recognizes that strain. And the Joint Staff and [Army] leadership has looked at reducing demand.”

Brig Gen. Clair Gill, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations and force management, said missile-related threats have rapidly expanded and grown in sophistication, maneuverability and lethality, placing more stress on Soldiers and troops in other branches.

Nearly all Soldiers in air defense units have exceeded the Secretary of Defense requirement of remaining home for a minimum of two years following a one-year deployment, Gainey added.

Gainey said that the Army shares the responsibility of integrated missile defense with other services. He said to alleviate the burden placed on Soldiers, the Army has been working closely with sailors assigned to the Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and troops in the Air Force counter-air operations program. Soldiers have also worked closely towards integration with allied nations during mass exercises.

“This additive capability, and its associated force structure is designed not only to defeat the threat, but to minimize the impact on Soldiers and their families,” said Gainey, who the Senate recently appointed to the rank of lieutenant general and will become commander of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

Gainey asked for the help of lawmakers to assure funding for construction of facilities and quality of life initiatives for air and missile defense Soldiers, including those assigned to the defense of Guam.

“Support to the quality of life programs will also be a critical part to continue the improvement in getting after the health of force initiatives,” Gainey said. “The Air and Missile Defense formations are the most deployed formations in the Army. And several times those systems are deployed early into an environment, the quality of life facilities aren’t in place for the Soldiers.”

Soldiers and sailors have been building the defense infrastructure of Guam, a strategic location for U.S. forces in the Pacific that could be pivotal in future conflicts. Soldiers assigned there not only have limited services and facilities but must also contend with geographical challenges such as typhoons.

Gainey said the military and government must act now to lessen the burden on missile defense Soldiers and their families. Families must endure long periods of separation when Soldiers frequently deploy.

“The importance of the work that our air and missile defense Soldiers do each and every day in support of the Army, and the nation cannot be overstated,” Gainey said. “And I want to thank you for your continued support to them and their families. Our Army’s contribution to defeat the wide range of evolving threats continues to improve in both capability and capacity as we build towards the future Army.”

By Joe Lacdan, Army News Service

New Army Space Vision: Actualizing Multidomain Operations

Sunday, January 14th, 2024

WASHINGTON — “The Army Space Vision will ensure our commanders integrate space-based operations into all aspects of our operational planning and execution to prevail on tomorrow’s contested battlefields.” — The Honorable Christine Wormuth, 25th Secretary of the Army.

Army space will reach new heights in 2024. This month, the Secretary of the Army, Chief of Staff of the Army and Sergeant Major of the Army published the Army Space Vision outlining a renewed focus for Army space activities. The new space vision directs the Army to concentrate on: (1) integrating friendly joint, coalition, and commercial space capabilities and (2) interdicting adversary space capabilities to protect friendly forces. These two roles and responsibilities are critical components to multidomain operations, and they enable the Army to effectively shoot, move, communicate, and survive on a 21st-century battlefield. The Army Space Vision focuses the scope of Army space operations to its core interests while acknowledging the Space Force mission to provide mission-critical space capabilities to the Joint Force.

The Army Space Vision is a call to action for commanders and staffs, at every echelon, to better understand how the space domain impacts land operations and how operations on land can impact the space domain. As the Army prepares for large-scale ground combat operations against peer competitors, the Army cannot take friendly space capabilities for granted or discount adversary space capabilities. This reinforces guidance outlined in Army Field Manual 3-0 emphasizing commanders and their staffs require an increased understanding of the space domain and the Army can no longer assume it can operate unobserved. Additionally, commanders cannot assume they will have unconstrained use of space capabilities.

To increase the Army’s collective understanding of the space domain, commanders should seek out Army space professionals within their organization or their higher headquarters. Army space professionals can help units by increasing their knowledge of friendly and adversary space capabilities and, more importantly, how they affect operations on land. The Army must integrate its space professionals into day-to-day operations and more long-term planning efforts at a minimum. They can also spearhead leader professional development sessions that emphasize the integration of friendly space capabilities to enhance all Army warfighting functions and the interdiction of adversary space capabilities to protect friendly forces.

As the Army seeks to integrate joint, coalition, and commercial space capabilities it must prioritize the following space mission areas (1) Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) (e.g., Global Positioning System), (2) Satellite Communications (SATCOM); (3) Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); and (4) Missile Warning. These are not the only space mission areas; however, these four space mission areas are the most consequential for the Army to carry out its mission. Additionally, the Army still develops ground user equipment in concert with its joint, coalition, and commercial space capability providers. As the Army uses friendly space capabilities, commanders and staffs need to know the interdependencies and potential vulnerabilities.

When it comes to interdicting adversary space capabilities, Army commanders and staffs must understand space domain threats and how they impact land operations. Rapid advancements in adversary space capabilities pose a significant risk to the Army and land forces particularly. For instance, adversary PNT systems enable long-range precision-guided munitions, SATCOM provides beyond-line-of-sight encrypted communication for command and control, and ISR allows persistent observation and geolocation. To mitigate the threat, Army space professionals can conduct space operations that deny or degrade adversary use of space for hostile purposes. Interdicting adversary space capabilities protects friendly forces and is an essential element in multidomain operations.

The Army Space Vision also differentiates Army space from the other services. Since the Space Force establishment, each service has retained a cadre of space professionals and service-unique space capabilities. All services integrate joint, coalition, and commercial space capabilities, and most services conduct space operations to interdict adversary space capabilities. The common thread among the services is tailoring space professionals and space capabilities to their domain. For the Army, its space professionals directly support ground maneuver commanders on the land domain. The Army specially designs its space capabilities to co-locate and maneuver with ground forces at the forward edge of battle. These service-unique space capabilities are smaller in size, more mobile, produced at a greater scale, and built for combat.

The Army looks forward to actualizing the new vision over the coming months and years. In addition to the Army Space Vision publication, there are other momentous changes taking place too. First, the Army proponent for space and high altitude, the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, recently had a change of command ceremony as it said farewell to Lt. Gen. Dan Karbler and welcomed Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey. Second, the Army is developing and fielding new capabilities to interdict adversary use of space for hostile purposes. Third, the Army is also contemplating elevating its space operations career field from a functional area to a branch. Regardless of whether the space operations career field becomes a branch, there is consensus that Army space professionals, capabilities, and formations will continue to grow.

As the new vision surmises, the Army’s next fight will occur across multiple domains, and successful operations in and through the space domain will be critical to our success. In other words, space is important to the Army and will become increasingly more important going forward. Army commanders and staffs must know how the space domain affects land operations, and how they can affect the space domain. The interplay among domains is a principal reason the Army adopted multidomain operations as its operating concept. The Army Space Vision allows the Army to actualize multidomain operations with its renewed focus on Army space operations. Army senior leader endorsement of the new vision concurrently recognizes the importance of the space domain and substantiates increased investments in Army space professionals, capabilities, and formations.

By COL Pete Atkinson, HQDA Space Chief

Half-Mast Sends: PS Magazine Will End Historic Run Effective Sep 30

Saturday, January 13th, 2024

Troops…

Due to Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA)-directed reductions of DA Civilian authorizations, PS Magazine will cease operations effective Sep 30, 2024. These reductions, among others across the Army, are necessary to right-size the total force, as well as support modernization.

PS Magazine’s transition to end of mission has already begun, and mission execution is reducing as its writing staff is reassigned or retires. Any residual support will cease operations no later than Sep 30. In the near term, this will affect the magazine’s ability to respond to Reader Inquiries, depending on the commodity or end item being inquired about. It will also mean a reduction in new content being posted to the website, with new articles all but ending this spring.

Efforts are being made to ensure the website remains available for reference for up to three years past end-of-mission. Once this website is fully retired, readers can continue to access the PS Magazine archive on the publicly available Radio Nerds website HERE.

On behalf of Connie, Bonnie, SFC Blade, Cloe and the other staff now retired, it’s been our distinct honor to serve Warfighters across all services for going on 73 years. You never know; perhaps someday we’ll be recalled to service. We’ll stand ready just in case.

For now, be safe, follow your TMs and always treat your vehicles and equipment as if your life depends on them. For surely, it will.


Connie & Bonnie (upper left and right); SFC Blade & Cloe (lower left and right)