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How Army Tailors Brought Back The “Ike” Jacket

Wednesday, December 27th, 2023

Stitching with distinction: the Army’s talented tailors

FORT MEYER, Va. — From a basic trouser hem to re-designing a famous jacket fit for a President, the tailoring team at the Logistics Readiness Center, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Fort Meyer, Virginia keeps the fabric of the Army strong, accurate and reliable for its customers.

LRC JBM-HH is one of 78 LRCs that report to the U.S. Army Sustainment Command. LRCs are essential in providing support services across the entire U.S. Army. While these support services vary in type – everything from ammunition management to food service – the tailoring team is one of the unique teams that supports our Army. LRCs have a daily, visible impact on every Soldier at their duty station and provide essential services that many take for granted. For example, many don’t likely think twice about a ceremonial uniform for a Soldier, but if they looked or fit less than perfect, it would attract attention.

The LRC JBM-HH team provides tailoring services for members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), 289th Military Police Company, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/USA Military District of Washington staff members, and a few other senior leaders and organizations. These organizations are authorized to wear the ceremonial blue uniform and include people with titles such as Commanding General, Chief of Staff White House social aides and the Army Aide to the President and Vice President. They’ve also worked on garments for presidents and other key U.S. dignitaries. With a tailoring team of only five personnel, this wide and diverse mission keeps them consistently occupied.

Comprised of three seamstresses, a tailor, a joint lead tailor and shoe cobbler, they adeptly tailor 80-100 items weekly. Common tasks take between 30 minutes to three hours to complete, while custom pieces can take much longer.

Thanks to the proficient tailoring team, the process seamlessly unfolds for those utilizing their services. As an invaluable part of ASC, they provide a unique way for leadership to look sharp and ready for a variety of occasions.

The team manages individual orders for ceremonial uniform fittings, but they also handle other aspects of daily wear, such as shirts, trousers, overcoats, raincoats, and more.

“A saber must be measured based on the height of the individual,” explains James Risek, LRC JBM-HH director. “This ensures that we are meeting the standards of the U.S. Army and the Old Guard.”

If standards are not met and maintained, there can be inconsistencies among uniforms, taking away from the polished look that the Army is known for. There may also be differences in the uniforms based on exposure to the elements, such as excessive time in the sun.

Ceremonial uniforms for the Old Guard, for example, are composed of a heavier set of cloth material that will hold up over a longer period of time. This is particularly important for the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Honor Guards, and funerals.

“The precision and dedication of our talented tailors to serving the Old Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier indeed symbolize their profound commitment to honor and professionalism,” says Col. Larry Dean, commander of the 406th Army Field Support Brigade.

“The heavier uniforms maintain their appearance longer, and it reduces the dry cleaning and pressing requirements,” Risek explains. “The Old Guard Soldiers have internal press machines in each of the barracks for in between funerals or other missions. This provides them the ability to press their individual uniforms as needed.”

He adds that for any alterations, they must measure, fit and size before making any necessary follow-up adjustments and transferring to the workroom. The final product is then ready for pickup and wear.

Through thousands of stitches, some noteworthy items have been worked on over the last few years.

Alex Nguyen, lead tailor at JBM-HH, was invited to then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley’s retirement ceremony this fall. Nguyen provided specialized tailoring for Milley for eight years and was specifically requested by Milley to re-outfit him as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The team tailored a jacket for President Donald Trump and other key senior military leaders in 2017 for use while addressing troops overseas.

They supported the Cadet Uniform Factory at LRC West Point during a backlog, adding a new facet of uniform preparation to their repertoire.

Risek says that while most tailors and seamstresses focus on alterations, his team is different.

“The tailor shop is trained to understand the unique needs of every customer and weigh it against tailoring, embellishments and any other unique military requirements.”

The team showcased their skills and knowledge with the “Ike jacket,” designed on commission from Milley. It was the prototype of a replica of the famous jacket worn by President Dwight D. Eisenhower while in the field. This process involved using an archived jacket, relying on historical data, and applying modern standards, reviewed and approved by Milley. It was executed by the team with Milley’s input. Milley, the first fitting model for the project, made it available for Army service members to purchase and wear.

While not all items are as intricate as this project, it underscores the team’s wide range of skills and talents benefiting the Army. Whether jackets, pants, overcoats, raincoats or special commissions, most projects require at least a hem, embellishments, or final touches throughout their life cycle.

Tailors are an invaluable asset to both ASC and the Army, ensuring that military members are properly outfitted with uniforms that fit correctly and meet the standards set by the Army. While having the correct uniform is essential for a Soldier’s comfort, safety, and morale, it can also help create a sense of unity within the Army team.

By Kelly Haertjens, ASC Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Clothing, Guest Post, History | 5 Comments »

Army Enables Flexible Communications Across a Strategic Paradise

Tuesday, December 26th, 2023

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — The blue Pacific is now saturated with Army green as allies and partners join forces to prepare for large-scale combat operations.

As the Army adapts and evolves its network to reduce complexity and tailor capabilities at echelon, it relies on persistent experimentation, fielding and Soldier feedback to refine network operational concepts.

The 25th Infantry Division has been a critical experimentation partner in this effort, most recently during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-01 exercise at Schofield Barracks employing the Integrated Tactical Network, or ITN, for its networked communications.

“Here in the Pacific, we’re faced with unique environmental considerations, from triple canopy jungles to the mountains and volcanoes,” said Maj. Justin James, division deputy communications officer (G6) for the 25th ID. “The ITN is going to help us communicate over terrain in which we couldn’t before.”

The ITN is comprised of a flexible network kit that incorporates commercial capabilities such as tactical data radios, commercial cell technologies, and tactical cross domain solutions that integrate into the Army’s network foundation. The flexibility of the ITN allows higher echelons to take on complex network planning and management, while retaining necessary network capabilities for commanders at lower echelons who are focusing on the fight.

One priority for the 25th ID during the execution of JPMRC 24-1 was to exercise and fight on the Sensitive but Unclassified – Encrypted, or SBU-E, network to the greatest extent possible. The use of the SBU-E enclave supported communications across echelons and the joint and coalition communities.

“In a future fight, the U.S. will have to fight with its partners and allies and to make that interoperability real, our network has to be as flat, fast and accurate as possible,” said Col. Rob Shaw, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division commander. “Because it’s at an [acceptable] level of encryption I can pull in our partner nations.”

Over the past six years, nine brigade combat teams and six security force assistance brigades have successfully conducted operations using SBU-E at brigade and below to provide increased operational flexibility, interoperability, and security, while retaining secret voice and data communications where required.

During the experimentations, the 3-25 established communications up to division and down to the tactical command post using SBU-E to follow each tactical operations center movement. This provided Army network developers with data to inform network design.

Persistent Experimentation: Extending the Network

To complement the existing ground-based ITN capabilities, the Army inserted new aerial tier experiments by incorporating the ITN’s tactical radios into fixed wing drones, which significantly extended the network across intra- and inter-island terrains and onto a UH-60 Blackhawk for air to ground communications.

The Aerial Tier Network Extension featured a K-1000 drone, which completed a 26-hour flight carrying full motion video with the radio creating a single mesh network to significantly extend the mesh network.

The Aerial Integrated System, also known as ITN in the air, provided shared position location information between the pilot down to dismounted troops equipped with end user devices.

“As soon as the helicopter comes into the line of sight, the system creates a communications bubble between the pilot, who is tracking the mission on a tablet, and the ground forces, who are communicating with the pilot and each other using their end user devices,” said Maj. John Azbill, 3-25 S6. “Air to ground communications are especially critical during our night time air assault operations.”

The unit also successfully experimented with a joint-enabled radio for shore-to-ship joint call for fires, which enabled the forward observer to initiate the fires chain up to a U.S. Navy destroyer offshore to launch a notional fires mission.

“We’re in the Pacific, so joint fires missions are probably what we’re going to most rely upon to fight,” Shaw said.

The 25th ID will continue to participate in operational exercises in 2024, where it will refine its ITN capabilities and provide the Army with additional feedback on how to implement a strategic communications link across the Indo-Pacific.

Story and photos Kathryn Bailey, U.S. Army Public Affairs

Some photos by Sam Brooks

Posted in Army, Comms, Guest Post | Comments Off on Army Enables Flexible Communications Across a Strategic Paradise

NSA Focuses on Talent as Pace of Technology Quickens

Sunday, December 24th, 2023

WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency’s ability to recruit and retain top talent is key to meeting the demands of the future, agency Director Army Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, said today.

Nakasone said the rapid evolution of technology continues to reshape the national security landscape and how his agency responds to new threats, but people remain central to the NSA’s mission.

“A lot of times we think about the incredible technological capabilities and the high-speed computers that are there, but, at the end of the day, what makes us the agency that we are is our talent,” he said during a discussion in Washington hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, a trade organization focused on public-private national security partnerships.

Earlier this year, the National Security Agency launched its largest hiring surge in three decades with a goal of hiring more than 3,000 new employees by the end of 2023.

Spotlight: Engineering in the DOD

Nakasone said the NSA is “moving very quickly” to meet that goal, but said numbers are only part of the overall objective.

He said the agency has also focused on improvements to its recruiting and retention practices to ensure it attracts a “future-ready workforce.”

“How do we think about a population that is over 50% today millennials and [Generation Z]?” he said. “Ten years ago, 70% of our workforce was baby boomers. Five years ago, Gen Z and millennials overtook baby boomers. Five years from now, 70% will be Gen Z and millennials.”

“This is the workforce that is coming into our agency, so this is an agency that is looking much differently in how we retain our workforce,” he said.

That approach includes a focus on adapting to work-life balance demands and easing career mobility between the government and private sector.

That workforce will be on the frontlines of significant change as the agency adapts to technologies — such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing — that Nakasone said will have a significant impact on the national security landscape.

Spotlight: Artificial Intelligence

The NSA has been forward-leaning in its approach to game these game changers.

Earlier this year, Nakasone, who also commands U.S. Cyber Command and serves as the chief of the Central Security Service, announced the creation a new entity to oversee the development and integration of artificial intelligence capabilities within U.S. national security systems.

The AI Security Center will become the focal point for developing best practices, evaluation methodology and risk frameworks with the aim of promoting the secure adoption of new AI capabilities across the national security enterprise and the defense industrial base.

The new entity will consolidate the agency’s various artificial intelligence, security-related activities.

Nakasone said on Friday that the AI Security Center has begun bringing together a series of partners to tackle the issues linking AI to national security.

Recently, he said, the group released a report on AI security infrastructure in partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the United Kingdom’s Government Communications Headquarters and other organizations.

Spotlight: Value of Service

“Artificial intelligence is probably the most transformative things that we’re going to experience in our lifetime,” he said. “We have to ensure that the information, the infrastructure, [and] the ability for AI to operate within this nation [is] secure.”

“That’s where the National Security Agency comes in,” he said.

By Joseph Clark, DOD News

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | 4 Comments »

Ivy Soldiers Test Knowledge, Strength and Determination During E3B qualification

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

FORT CARSON, Colo. — For an entire month, Ivy Soldiers prepare, practice and perfect more than 40 tasks in order to successfully execute a five-day evaluation. Upon sufficing the tasks, Soldiers are able to earn one of three Army-sponsored badges: the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Expert Soldier Badge and the Expert Field Medical Badge.

1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, recently hosted the three badge evaluations, known as E3B, at Fort Carson from December 4-8, 2023.

“This is a great opportunity for Soldiers to hone and sharpen all of their skills,” said Sgt. 1st Class Julian Pacheco, E3B lane noncommissioned officer in charge assigned to 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. “Whether you get it or not, there is a positive outcome out of this. Soldiers get an opportunity to come out here and train.”

Each testing lane evaluated is a skill level 10, or entry level, task. Pacheco says the badge helps a Soldier’s career progression regardless of their occupational specialty, however, it is no easy feat.

“There is a very high rate of attrition because it’s very methodical and procedural,” said Pacheco. “It asks a lot of the Soldiers throughout the week in order to get their GOs.”

To put the attrition into perspective, 1,100 hundred Soldiers submitted a packet for E3B. By day 3 of the testing, 252 remained in the running for one of the three badges.

Pfc. Angelina Shabelina, a cavalry scout assigned to 2nd battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., felt added pressure to her participation as she aspired to gain her ESB.

“I am nervous about earning my ESB because I am the only female from the battalion who is testing for the ESB,” Shabelina said. “It’s a lot of pressure and work.”

Shabelina says there is a lot of preparation behind E3B testing, which consists of events ranging from land navigation to weapon familiarity. The first event started with the expert physical fitness assessment and then moved onto land navigation.

However, the testing doesn’t end there. Throughout the week, Soldiers must pass 10 different stations that tested their knowledge of tactical combat casualty care, weapons functions checks and basic knowledge of different weapon systems, patrolling and tasks associated specifically to the badge they were testing for.

For example, the EFMB conducts three testing lanes with a varying number of evaluated skills. These lanes test the practical ability and keen eyes of candidates while performing evacuation and warrior skills tasks.

“EFMB is a test of a candidate’s attention to detail,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Bland, flight paramedic, 2nd Battalion, 4th General Support Aviation Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Inf. Div. “All of the grade sheets and standards are published and that is really where the rubber meets the road.”

Soldiers are graded on each task to a strict standard. Participants are eliminated if they receive two no-go’s on a task. Soldiers who complete all the tasks perfectly are recognized as earning their “True Blue” for EIB, “Perfect Edge” for ESB and “No Blood” for those who earned their EFMBs with perfect scores.

Despite a plethora of rigor during the first few days of competition, the remaining Soldiers enter the final event, a 12-mile road march completed within three-hours. After crossing the finish line, Soldiers must disassemble and reassemble their weapon within five minutes.

“If you feel like you are losing yourself when you’re training up, you get everything right, you are in line to test out, and your mind goes completely blank, try to remember the Soldiers who are motivating you,” Shabelina said. “For me it’s my first sergeant and my team leader.”

In the end, 172 out of 924 Soldiers earned one of the E3B awards. Ivy Division alumni were able to pin the respective badges onto the recipients during the award ceremony at the conclusion of the final event.

Story by SPC Jason Klaer

Photos by PVT Cecilia Ochoa and SPC Mark Bowman

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on Ivy Soldiers Test Knowledge, Strength and Determination During E3B qualification

Spike Missile Integrated into Apache Helicopter at Yuma Proving Ground

Friday, December 22nd, 2023

YUMA PROVING GROUND, Ariz. — A primary responsibility of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground is to support developmental testing to improve existing weapons systems, even on platforms considered the most lethal of their kind.

A recent example of this is testing in support of an airworthiness release that will allow the Spike non-line of site missile to be integrated into the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

Always identified with state-of-the-art sensors and precision guidance systems, as well as lethal air-to-surface missiles like the Hellfire, the Apache will now boast a precision weapon with more than four times the range of the iconic missile.

“Our plan is to field next summer,” said Maj. Brian Haley, assistant product manager for Program Manager Apache. “We are going rapidly from this culminating test event to fielding. It is an awesome capability that I think will be a game-changer.”

Over the course of five days in December 2023, testers fired eight full-up rounds in a variety of test scenarios at the proving ground: day and night shots, against both moving and static targets such as a mock SA-22 and a Dodge Dakota truck, at different distances, from hovers close up to more than 30 kilometers away.

In more than one fire, the Apache dropped down in altitude and even turned 180 degrees as the missile sped toward its target to intentionally lose link with the round to verify it would still hit the target on its automatic track: the link was reestablished before impact in one test and intentionally not reestablished in another.

The Spike missile is also able to disable the warhead mid-flight, and one test verified this, hitting a target board like a slug. The test included acoustic sensors to gather sound data on its impact.

“The flight restriction algorithm on the Spike is pretty robust,” said Cole Sutter, YPG test officer. “It has an intended and expected flight area, and when it leaves that expected flight area it induces a roll to land within the surface danger zone.”

Aviation testers appreciate YPG’s vast ranges and variety of realistic targets as they put the weapon through its paces in a variety of situations and altitudes. YPG’s natural desert environment also contributes significantly to the realism of the testing. The Spike had three successful test shots in January 2023 for integration qualification and had been demonstrated at the proving ground in 2019 and during Project Convergence 2021.

“We’ve had a relationship with Yuma for four years now,” said Haley. “It has the range space, the facilities, and frequency management requirements that are specific to us. Other ranges have different resource challenges that we don’t have here.”

Information gathered during the test will not only validate fielding the weapon, but also contribute new insights into reconfiguring existing pods on the Apache to accommodate more missiles, as well as in training combat pilots on how to use the Spike for maximum effect.

By Mark Schauer

Editor’s note: Spike Non Line of Sight (NLOS) is part of the Spike Fire-and-Forget family of missiles manufactured by Israel’s Rafael. It was selected in 2020 by the US Army as their Interim-Long Range Precision Munition.

Here is a Lockheed Martin press release on the test . They accomplished the system integration and offer Spike in the US.

Posted in Army, Aviation, Guest Post, Munitions | Comments Off on Spike Missile Integrated into Apache Helicopter at Yuma Proving Ground

More than Metal: The Story Behind the Challenge Coin that Went Viral

Thursday, December 21st, 2023

FORT EISENHOWER, Ga. — The military has countless traditions, but few are as unique as the military challenge coin. And as one Signaleer recently pointed out, it’s not the coins that hold value as much as it is the memory associated with them.

A former first sergeant with 13 years of service, 2nd Lt. Michael Moser has given and accumulated more than his fair share of military coins — all of which are special to him. But none have garnered anywhere near the attention as the one he created for the Signal Basic Officer Leader Course, or SBOLC, he graduated from earlier in the fall.

While attending SBOLC (Class 006-23), Moser, of the Cyber Protection Brigade, created a challenge coin unique to his SBOLC class. Moser said he originally created two designs using photo editing software, then presented the ideas to his class who then voted on which one they liked best. The basis for inspiration came from a coin Moser had seen long ago that was created by the 3rd Infantry Division G6. Although similar in that both are modeled after a common access card, they are also vastly different.

Initially, Moser ordered just enough of the coins for everyone in his class, but after sharing a photo of it on his social media account, the coin went viral across numerous platforms and he was soon inundated with requests for the coin from all over the world.

“My phone, throughout the [field training exercise] I was in, continued to go off,” Moser said in disbelief. “Everybody loves it … it’s one for the ages,” Moser said.

So he placed an order for an additional 300 coins to have on hand for Signaleers who wanted one. Signal Corps Regimental Command Sgt. Maj. Linwood Barrett was one of them.

Barrett said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the coin, adding that he received multiple texts and phone calls asking if he had seen it.

“Seeing how [Moser] was in school here at Fort Eisenhower, I had to check it out,” Barrett said. “The CAC spin was amazing and well-received by all. The saying ‘No Comms No Bombs’ was the icing on the cake.”

To date, close to 1,400 of the coins Moser created have gone out spanning 32 states and eight other countries. And requests for more continue to come in.

Moser wasn’t sure what to make of all the craze at first, but after hearing that some people thought it was merely a publicity stunt, more came forward describing it as a “good morale boost” for the Army — the kind that Moser said brought people together.

“In no way did I ever think that a challenge coin would’ve reached this magnitude,” Moser said. “I’ve had people who have been retired out of the Army 15, 20 years hit me up saying, ‘Hey, I want that coin.’”

Behind every coin is a story

Moser estimates he has more than 100 coins on display that were given to him, reiterating that each comes with its own story. As for what the SBOLC coin means to him, “Due to the viral response, it stands up there” in terms of being one of his favorites, he said.

“I’ve had some coins from people that I’ve mentored, and some of those coins that were given to me for mentoring someone have meant a little bit more, because it means I’ve changed their life in some aspect … and I think that’s ultimately what I want to do.”

Just as Barrett remembers the details surrounding the first military coin he received (27 years ago, upon completion of Air Assault School, Fort Campbell, Kentucky), it’s likely each of the second lieutenants from Moser’s class will look back on the specially designed coin and be able to tell stories associated with it – something that is key to keeping military traditions sacred and alive.

“Traditions are vital, and they help us stay connected to the Army’s history and heritage,” Barrett said. “Challenge coins are not just a piece of metal; they are a small token and a quick reminder of how great an organization it is … often engraved with the unit motto, a slight glance and seeing words such as ‘Pride Is Forever’ or ‘This We’ll Defend’ is just what’s needed to charge the hill.”

By Laura Levering

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Morale | Comments Off on More than Metal: The Story Behind the Challenge Coin that Went Viral

Military Intelligence Gunner Entry Program at Fort Stewart

Monday, December 18th, 2023

FORT STEWART Ga.- Soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia, participated in the Gunner Entry Program (GEP) to learn about the multiple intelligence systems used in the Army, Dec. 4-8, 2023.

The course, which is available to all Soldiers regardless of Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), bridges the gap between the Digital Intelligence Systems Foundations Course (DISFC) and the Digital Intelligence Systems Master Gunner Course (DISMGC). The 40-hour course familiarizes Soldiers with the various intelligence systems used by the Army and teaches Soldiers how to utilize those systems within their own field.

“Students are interested in the Gunner Entry Program because it provides them a high level of training in understanding multiple intelligence disciplines and how information gathered from each is turned into actual intelligence and shared at the tactical and eventually the strategic level as well as enabling decision makers, like unit commanders, to make decisions on the battlefield,” said Warrant Officer Donald Blanchard, the instructor of the Gunner Entry Program.

Blanchard encourages Soldiers to take the Gunner Entry Program because the skills and experience gathered helps Soldiers stand out amongst their peers. The Gunner Entry Program teaches Soldiers skills beyond the given material making them crucial assets in their unit.

“A graduate of the Gunner Entry Program is going to be a well versed intel professional or understand how to integrate with intelligence systems,” added Blanchard.

Most of the Soldiers taking the course have a background or an MOS relating to military intelligence and although it’s helpful to have a baseline understanding, these skills are not required for the course.

“They’ve done a really good job of enabling soldiers to learn this program no matter what rank or what experience level you are,” said 1st Lt. Sean Murphy, a student at the GEP course assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, a student at the GEP course.

The GEP also affords students the opportunity to learn from a diverse group of peers. Throughout the course Soldiers participate in group discussions and have the chance to share and teach others about their own experiences.

“Working with all these different people you meet a lot of people that have different backgrounds from you and they have a lot more experiences that you just haven’t gotten the chance to experience yet. I like to take that information and I make notes of it and I like to learn a lot from what these people have to offer to me,” said Spc. Gabriel Bouchard, a student at the GEP assigned to 1st ABCT, 3rd ID.

Graduates of the course are awarded a certificate of completion that can be attached to their Soldier Record Brief. Besides the certificate, the course offers the best avenue for Soldiers striving to excel in the military intelligence field.

“Since being a drill sergeant, I’ve been out of the discipline for quite a long time, this is the best attempt at remaining relevant while still on the trail of becoming more diverse in my military intelligence field,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mason Baker, a signals intelligence analyst and drill sergeant instructor at the Army Drill Sergeant Academy, Columbia, South Carolina.

Story by PFC Luciano Alcala, 50th Public Affairs Detachment

Posted in Army, Guest Post, ISR, Training | 2 Comments »

Army Leaders Chart Path to Equipping the Force

Friday, December 15th, 2023

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — Senior leaders from around the Army met both virtually and in-person for the Army Modernization Equipping Conference, Dec. 4-7 at Army Materiel Command headquarters.

The AMEC, held semiannually, brought together leadership from the four major Army commands and Headquarters Department of the Army staff sections to synchronize equipment distributions and displacements in line with Army priorities and Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model phases to achieve cohesion throughout the Army.

“We’ve been busy supporting allies and partners in multiple theaters, and that’s impacting the Army’s equipping decisions and enterprise,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, AMC deputy commanding general.

He hailed the AMEC as a key Army synchronization conference and for being an important forum that provides the chance to review equipment fielding and modernization while resolving friction points.

In addition to equipping and modernization discussions, the AMEC also addressed special topics, including Second Destination Transportation, the Decision Support Tool and an update on the Rapid Removal of Excess pilot program, which wraps up Dec. 15 at Fort Liberty, North Carolina and Fort Stewart, Georgia.

“We’re here to support the Chief of Staff of the Army’s emphasis on continuing transformation and building the Army of 2030,” said Bryan Shone, Army G-8 deputy director of program analysis and evaluation.

Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George charged Army Materiel Command to pilot a new program aimed at increasing equipment on hand readiness through focused fielding, lateral transfers and divestiture. Since October, active units at both installations have been turning in items ranging from small electronics and general supplies to military vehicles at their respective Modernization, Displacement and Repair Sites.

“Lessons learned from the R2E pilot program are being captured by AMC, Army Sustainment Command, 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command and U.S. Army Forces Command, all of which have a stake in unburdening our Soldiers,” said Eric Cowan, AMC divestiture team lead.

Cowan discussed the potential expansion of the pilot program and the transfer options for collected equipment, including the potential transfer of equipment to U.S. Army Security Assistance Command for partner nation opportunities for foreign military sales.

Both Mohan and Lt. Gen. Paul Calvert, FORSCOM deputy commanding general, praised the pilot program as well as 3rd ESC and the Army Field Support Battalions at Fort Liberty and Fort Stewart for rapidly identifying and collecting thousands of pieces of equipment.

“We’re going to take a pause to capture what we learned and apply it to the next iteration of the pilot program,” Calvert said. “But ultimately, we’re seeing that we’ve met the intent of unburdening the Soldier.”

The Army is using data and analytics to not only capture the amount of excess equipment in the field, but also to extend the predictability of logistics into the future for combatant commands in the European and Indo-Pacific theaters. By having better visibility of equipment and the condition it is in, AMC can predict MDRS and Organic Industrial Base operations one to two years ahead of time.

As the AMEC concluded, the resounding sentiment from participants was one of commitment to modernization and strategic alignment, underscoring the Army’s dedication to staying at the forefront of military sustainment.

“As we continue to synchronize with other big Army-wide conferences, the AMEC is only going to get better,” Mohan said. “It will continue to be the driving force behind senior leader decisions.”

Story and one photo by Lindsay Grant

With one photo by SGT Vincent Levelev

Posted in Army, Guest Post | 1 Comment »