According to the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade:
Effectively immediately, Ranger School graduates will no longer receive hard copy Ranger Tab orders. The Soldier’s ATRRS output will reflect G-GRADUATE, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED CLASS for the course. The completion of the course in ATRRS will then feed IPPS-A, updating the Soldier’s SQI (Special Qualification Identifier) in the career management skills section.
All graduates will still receive a Ranger Course diploma on graduation day.
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. —
Air Force Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation co-hosted the annual Special Air Warfare Symposium [SAWS] and expo at the Emerald Coast Convention Center Feb. 28 to Mar. 2, 2023.
The symposium featured speakers from across the special operations aviation community that included AFSOC senior leadership, defense officials, industry representatives as well as allies and foreign partners from more than 10 countries that were focused on integration and cooperation to remain relevant as the threat environment continues to evolve.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Wolfe Davidson, AFSOC deputy commander, delivered opening remarks to symposium participants.
“The threat environment continues to evolve across the globe and we now have contested environments in areas previously not considered high risk due to the continued proliferation of threat systems,” said Davidson. “This [symposium] is an opportunity to get closer to our industry partners who are doing greats things in technology and are critical as we look to adapt our tools to the fight we have.”
Military and industry speakers identified an on-going need to collaborate to prepare, prevent, and prevail against current and future adversaries over the course of the 3-day event.
“We must continue to adapt and look for opportunities to innovate and transform our Air Commandos to remain the most capable, most lethal Air Force in the world,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander. “AFSOC, alongside our industry partners, has been transforming…and we continue to look for opportunities and avenues, like the Special Air Warfare Symposium, to do so.”
The ongoing transformation of AFSOC involves a new force generation cycle, the implementation of mission command, the development of Special Operations Task Groups and Units as well as creation of multi-domain theater-focused squadrons.
“Although change can be difficult, irrelevance is worse,” said Bauernfeind. “We have a proud history and heritage of transformation to meet the mission…and we too shall rise to ensure our nation’s security.”
By TSgt Jonathan McCallum, AFSOC
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Department of the Air Force is committed to recruiting talented and qualified individuals, while retaining the experienced Airmen and Guardians currently serving.
Throughout the upcoming months, a Barriers to Service Cross-Functional Team, championed by Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David W. Allvin, is examining existing policies and procedures to ensure they reflect the service members needed for the future.
Created to rally various department stakeholders, this cross-functional team was charged to research, plan and execute these changes quickly, cut through bureaucracy, with the modern American in mind.
“America’s Air Force and Space Force rely on access to our nation’s extensive, geographically and demographically diverse talent,” said Alex Wagner, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. “To remain competitive, both with the private sector and our fellow military services, we are re-examining and updating our approach to talent sourcing and management—and that requires constant review and re-evaluation of our accession policies and ensuring that any changes are consistent with those high military standards required for mission accomplishment.”
This approach became a reality when various stakeholders realized these opportunities would need supporting policy, guidance, resources, and legal authorization. Additionally, the team is currently executing a comprehensive policy review to identify existing requirements that disqualify many potential Airmen and Guardians from serving and are irrelevant to warfighting.
“While we met our active-duty recruiting goals last year, record-low unemployment rates and steadily declining familiarity with the U.S. military today leaves us uncertain whether we can achieve our goals this year,” said Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, Air Force Recruiting Service commander. “We are starting to see some positive results of our training program, policy changes and our enhanced marketing efforts, but military recruiting will remain a long-term challenge.”
One of the leading barriers currently being tackled is the increased prevalence of hand and neck tattoos among America’s youth. Previously, Air Force policies permitted ring tattoos, although they were limited to a single band on one hand. Now, in addition to the ring tattoo, a single tattoo is authorized on each hand not exceeding one inch in size.
Additionally, one tattoo on the neck is authorized not exceeding one inch in measurement. The neck tattoo will only be placed behind a vertical line at the opening of the ear orifice around the back to a vertical line at the opening of the other ear orifice and includes behind the ear.
Hand, arm, leg, neck, and ring tattoos can be exposed and visible while wearing any uniform combination. Chest and back tattoos will not be visible through any uniform combination or visible while wearing an open collar uniform.
Tattoos or body markings anywhere on the body that are obscene, commonly associated with gangs, extremist, and/or supremacist organizations, or that advocate sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination are prohibited in and out of uniform. The updated policy is here.
Additional items senior leaders are looking to modernize are:
– Accelerating Naturalization at Basic Military Training (Will apply to the Air Force and Space Force)
– Reinstating the Enlisted College Loan Repayment Program (Air Force only)
– Adding additional funds to Initial Enlistment Bonuses (Air Force only)
– Alignment of the DAF’s Accession Body Fat Composition Standard with OSD Guidance (Will apply to the Air Force and Space Force)
More information on policy and accessions changes will be published when available.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
ARLINGTON, Va. — By raising the standards of its physical assessment tests and Basic Leader Course, the service will continually challenge its Soldiers resulting in more successful missions, the Army’s top enlisted leader said.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston, speaking during an Association of the U.S. Army meeting Feb. 14, praised Soldiers for their ongoing efforts on one such mission, supporting the conflict in Ukraine.
To allow Army leaders to focus on the larger battle picture, Grinston said Soldiers at the squad level must be proficient in battle drills, land navigation and basic first aid.
“If you don’t know how to stop a Soldier from bleeding, it doesn’t matter if you’re in large-scale combat or counterinsurgency, you don’t know how to do your tasks,” Grinston said. “At the battalion and below, you need to be an absolute expert in your job. Every Soldier in your organization needs to know their job so well that we shouldn’t have to worry about that. [Then] we can worry about the deep fight and long-range hypersonics.”
The Expert Infantryman Badge, which distinguishes Soldiers who demonstrate excellence or proficiency in infantry skills, and the Expert Soldier Badge and the Expert Field Medic Badge form the EIB3.
To qualify for the EIB, Soldiers must complete a new physical assessment test.
During the qualification, Soldiers must don operational camouflage pattern uniforms and helmets, run for one mile, perform pushups and sprints, and push through a sandbag course. Then Soldiers must complete a high crawl, perform a series of exercises with a partner, run a designated distance while carrying weights and finally, Soldiers will finish another one-mile run.
Grinston said the service plans to reward Soldiers who maintain a high level of physical fitness. Soldiers who score 540 or higher on the Army Combat Fitness Test will be exempt from the body composition measurements with a directive expected to be published in March, Grinston said. Soldiers can score a maximum of 600 on the exam.
Additionally, Grinston announced last year that the service will bring land navigation qualification back to the Basic Leader Course.
“What we need to do is continuously challenge our NCOs,” Grinston said. “So that’s one of our biggest changes; make our first NCO course rigorous and bring back a little rigor and field time and the tactics.”
Grinston lauded the efforts of Soldiers who deployed in support of the war in Ukraine, crediting Army units’ swift response times and ability to carry out logistics support to the Ukrainian military.
Within seven days of the Feb. 24 Russian invasion of the Eastern European country, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division deployed to Grafenwoehr, Germany, where they test fired tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Grinston said. The brigade deployed on short notice after completing a tour in South Korea.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine, your Army knew exactly what we needed to do,” Grinston said. “You should be proud of what we’ve done.”
The 82nd Airborne Division completed its fourth no-notice deployment to Europe to aid the Ukrainian military. Last month the Defense Department announced that it would send 90 Stryker armored combat vehicles to assist the Ukrainian military.
In January Grinston visited Soldiers at Grafenwoehr to watch Army units conducting air defense training with Bradleys. Members of the National Guard have trained and mentored Ukrainian Soldiers.
“The Ukrainians have a huge will to fight,” Grinston said. “Whether it’s air defense, Bradleys or medical [training], they were really motivated so they could get back into the fight. I’m extremely proud of the Ukrainians and what they’re doing. But I’m also extremely proud of our Soldiers at getting rallied around that mission and doing anything asked of them.”
By Joe Lacdan, Army News Service
WASHINGTON — The Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Clark Army Best Medic Competition is a grueling three-day test of strength, knowledge and endurance held annually. This year’s competition at Fort Polk, Louisiana, put some of the best medics in the Army to the test by challenging their abilities to determine who is the most skilled.
This year’s winners, Capt. Alexander Kenney and Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Petty from the 6th Ranger Training Battalion, Airborne Ranger Training Brigade, demonstrated exceptional skill, resilience and teamwork, solidifying their place among the top medics in the Army.
Combat medic specialists — also known by their military occupation specialty 68W — play a critical role in the Army. They are responsible for providing medical support to Soldiers on the battlefield and ensuring their health and well-being. They are often the first line of aid and care when Soldiers are injured or become ill.
Medics are required to be physically fit, mentally tough and knowledgeable in a wide range of medical procedures and techniques. The Army’s Best Medic Competition is not only a test of individual skill and endurance but also a testament to the importance of the medic’s role in the Army.
Kenney explained the competition is broken down into multiple phases: the Army Combat Fitness Test; an obstacle course; aircraft repelling; Combat Water Survival Test; a helocast; a ruck march; an extrication exercise; casualty hoist operations; M4 rifle qualifications; stress shoots; a written test; day and night land navigation; tactical combat casualty care; health services and support; prolonged field care; a mystery event; and a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear event.
Kenney is a former combat medic and currently serves as the battalion physician assistant, or 65D, for the 6th Ranger Training Battalion. Petty, on the other hand, had no medical experience prior to joining the Army in 2009. Despite this, he chose to become a combat medic and worked hard to become an excellent one. Both Soldiers put in tremendous effort to achieve their status as top-tier medics.
Winning the Best Medic Competition requires more than just physical fitness and knowledge of medical procedures. It requires a relentless pursuit of excellence, a dedication to being the best possible version of oneself, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of fellow Soldiers.
Kenney and Petty have put in years of hard work and training to reach the level of skill and knowledge necessary to be the best medics in the Army. They have been tested in some of the most challenging and demanding environments imaginable, including combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and have emerged stronger and more resilient as a result. Their journey to the top of their field has been a long and difficult one, but it has prepared them well for the challenges that lie ahead.
Kenney noted that “being prepared and pushing the limits of what you know at any given time was super important.”
This mentality of being a lifelong student is essential to being the best medic possible.
Petty agreed, saying that “It made me realize real quick that if I don’t stay on top of my medicine and my mental state, that not only am I going to feel the repercussions of it, but the guys are going to feel the repercussions of it as well.”
Both Soldiers are now dedicated to teaching the next generation of medics.
“One of the best things about military medicine, especially as [physician assistants], is most of us are prior enlisted,” said Kenney. “Not a lot of us are direct commissions off the street or non-medical people beforehand, and we understand the value of building that in the next generation.”
Petty, who now serves as the battalion senior medic and medic platoon sergeant, knows the importance of sharing his knowledge and experience.
“I want to be able to pass that knowledge on to them and see them want to do stuff and be able to help them with the connections I have to get to these other places,” he said. “Train them up to go to these places and go to schools that I have been to and that Capt. Kenney has been to, we have that knowledge to pass to them to see them be successful.”
Petty is also keenly aware of the weight of his responsibility at 6th Ranger Training Battalion.
“It’s the most dangerous, the most high-risk battalion in the United States Army,” he said. “Maintaining health and welfare is a huge portion of that, and understanding what each one is going through — which is why we’re all Ranger tabbed as well — we’ve all been through the program. So knowing what their issues are, and knowing what their struggles are, are super helpful in being able to deliver effective care and anticipate what their challenges are going to be medically.”
The Ranger Tab refers to a badge earned by Soldiers who have completed the grueling Army Ranger School, a course that specializes in small unit tactics and leadership. Rangers develop functional skills directly related to units whose mission is to engage the enemy in close combat and direct fire battles.
Kenney and Petty have done what few in the Army have. They have proven that they are the best of the best. But for them, it is not about the accolades, but about the work they do every day to make sure that their fellow Soldiers are healthy and well.
“Integrity and dedication. It’s a no-fail mission, so you have to be dedicated to what you do,” said Kenney. “And the integrity piece of it is not only doing the right thing 100% of the time, but having the self-check, self-awareness, the integrity to take it up every day. Learn something new and be better than you were yesterday, because medicine is a lifelong learning experience.”
Petty agreed, saying he’s “trying to instill in them the confidence and knowledge and a willingness to want to grow both medically and as a Soldier.”
Kenney and Petty serve as role models for anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of others, and they exemplify the very best of what it means to serve in the U.S. Army.
“The greatest benefit that you can actually see is from the ground up,” said Kenney.
“I do enjoy the fact that I continually have to learn, and it’s not something I get bored with,” said Petty. “That willingness to never give up has really made me succeed throughout the Army.”
By SGT Pablo Saez, U.S. Army Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) —
Command senior enlisted leaders from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, NATO Allied Air Command, the Royal Danish, Royal Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish air forces recently participated in a Nordic regional engagement to Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
The two-week engagement provided a platform for the CSELs to discuss Agile Combat Employment across the Nordic nations, explore multinational, professional military education exchange opportunities and discuss the operational environment in the High North.
“The Nordic visit is a significant engagement,” said Royal Air Force Warrant Officer Simon Waldock, command senior enlisted leader for NATO Allied Air Command. “The visit will provide an important steppingstone in developing and strengthening relationships and partnerships in the region.
Waldock also said this trip is paramount to the success of NATO.
“NATO’s fundamental goal is to safeguard the [allies] freedom and security by both political and military means,” Waldock expressed. “The expertise and knowledge the High North partners have is fundamental. The part they play in countering the threat from any adversary is critical, and their support to assist nullifying the effectiveness of any hostile air actions is fundamental in the success of NATO in the Nordic region.”
In conjunction with visiting NATO countries Denmark and Norway, the tour also visited Sweden and Finland, both of which have applied for NATO membership within the last year.
“Although not officially NATO members yet, both Sweden and Finland are critical to the NATO mission,” Waldock said. “Both geographically and strategically, the Nordic region is an area of significant importance to the NATO alliance. Both countries are near the High North and Arctic regions. These areas are key to the success of the NATO mission and will continue to be going forward.”
In addition to discussing strategic importance of the NATO region, the engagement focused heavily on the development of the enlisted corps, specifically the non-commissioned officers in the four nations, as well as professional military education exchanges across the allied nations and partners.
“Developing our NCOs is critical to the success of our air forces,” said U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Benjamin Hedden, USAFE-AFAFRICA command chief. “We’ve seen in recent history that a military without a strong NCO presence will fail. For that reason, it’s critical that we learn from each other, discuss ways to improve and work on ways to develop our enlisted force across the alliance.”
He continued by saying, “This trip gives us a unique opportunity to work face-to-face in developing the groundwork necessary to solve issues facing our enlisted forces. By learning more about the NCO corps of each nation, we find areas of common grounds and challenges that we can collectively work together to solve.”
Waldock summed up the two-week trip by saying in the end it’s all about the partnership events like the Nordic regional CSEL engagement build that are so important.
“It’s about enhancing CSEL relationships and friendships within the Nordic region,” he said. “Solidify already strong, current relationships with Norway and Denmark CSELs and develop new relationships with future NATO CSELs from both Sweden and Finland. The High North and Arctic region are a key area now and will continue to be a key region heading into the future.”
By MSgt Michael Battles, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
The first Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course of the year, Class 23-001 began at the Army Institute for Religious Leadership, Jan. 19.
The students come from different locations, backgrounds and faith groups. The diversity of the students plays a major role in providing religious service support to Soldiers and their Families.
Soldiers and their Families represent a cross-section of America. The Army Chaplain Corps seeks chaplains and religious affairs specialists who can meet the needs of this diverse population and care for the soul of America’s Army.
It is not always an easy task to match the diversity of the Army population with members of the clergy, but it is a major part of the recruiting effort to try.
“The military focus on diversity, equity and inclusion helps to capture the full landscape of our diverse culture. One dimension of the military culture is a person’s faith as it relates to spirituality and their religious beliefs,” said Chaplain (Col.) Monica Lawson, chief, Recruiting and Accessions Division – Office of the Chief of Chaplains. “In order to assist in our chaplain recruiting efforts we are looking for called and qualified applicants who also represent the diversity of the Army population.”
There are three CHBOLC classes each year. A look at the three CHBOLC classes in 2022 tells a story of how it is going.
At a glance, there were 78 students in class 22-001, 86 students in class 22-002 and 82 students in class 22-003. CHBOLC 23-001 begins with 75 students.
Males’ makeup most students with 70 males in class 22-001, 77 in class 22-002 and 73 in class 22-003 with ranges of 20-59 years of age. Chaplain candidates tend to be older due the requirement to complete seminary and hold a master’s degree. Younger applicants who apply for the Chaplain Candidate Program are able to attend CHBOLC while going through seminary and working on their master’s degree. The age requirement for the Chaplain Candidate Program is less than age of 37 unless a waiver is granted.
Candidates are mixed racially and ethnically. Caucasians are the largest group followed by African Americans, Asian, Hispanic and others. They represent future active duty, Reserve and National Guard appointments. Some have prior military service as officers or enlisted in various specialties.
The faith traditions the Army recognizes for training as Army Chaplains include Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist. Christian is the largest group, but also represent many denominations.
Candidates are associated with an endorser organization within different faith groups. Many faith groups don’t allow females to become clergy which partially accounts for the lower number of female candidates. Female chaplains are part of an underrepresented group that the Chaplain Corps is working to grow. Underrepresented faith groups include Muslims, Hindu, Buddhist and Catholics.
The Chaplain Corps introduced Every Chaplain Corps Member a Recruiter Initiative to address the low numbers across the corps and among the underrepresented groups.
“We need to recruit the next generation of chaplains today. We need chaplains who are passionate about caring for the souls of Soldiers and their Families, and who can operate effectively in a pluralistic environment,” said Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Thomas L. Solhjem, chief of chaplains.
The goal is to transition civilian clergy of different faith traditions into Chaplains who will take on the charge of caring for the souls of America’s Army.
“‘The mission of the Initial Military Training Division is to provide education and training to newly accessioned chaplains and religious affairs specialists that enables graduates to perform the function as a Unit Ministry Team.’ The training enforces the Army standard and welcomes all people of all backgrounds,” said IMT Division Chief, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) William M. Oliver.
There are minimum requirements to request entry into the Army chaplaincy.
One must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or are a current graduating college senior, secure an endorsement for military service from one’s faith group and enroll or get accepted as a full-time student in an accredited graduate program that qualifies one for ordination.
The core responsibilities of a chaplain are to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the dead. This includes Soldiers, Family members and Department of the Army Civilians. In a diverse organization with many beliefs, this may require coordination among UMTs. When chaplains encounter those of another faith group, they work to find a chaplain of that faith group to provide religious service support to the Soldier or Family member.
This is known as perform or provide.
“That’s the strength of our Chaplaincy. We care for everybody,” said Deputy Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Bill Green. “When the four chaplains had to give away their life jackets, they weren’t looking for their particular faith group to give their life jackets to. They saw another person. They honored the life of that person and as a result of that they gave their jacket away and made the ultimate sacrifice. They died.”
Once an individual has accepted the call to serve as an Army Chaplain, they would need to follow the steps outlined on the www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/chaplain webpage.
By Mel Slater, Institute for Religious Leadership
A new faculty appointment at Columbus State University is deepening CSU’s expertise in military history and the study of war, the military and U.S. culture. Thanks to ongoing support from the Hallock family and the university’s existing partnerships with the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning and the National Infantry Museum, Columbus State—and Columbus, Georgia, itself—is poised to become a destination for students and scholars interested in learning about and researching matters relating to the military.
In 2010, the Richard R. Hallock Foundation endowed the Colonel Richard R. Hallock Distinguished University Chair in Military History to equip Columbus State with the means to recruit a nationally renowned military history scholar. As a result, Dr. David Kieran joined the CSU faculty in August 2022 as the Hallock Distinguished Chair in Military History and an associate professor in the Department of History & Geography.
As a historian of war and society in contemporary U.S. culture, Kieran brings to CSU an extensive teaching and research program, as well as an international network in his areas of focus. Throughout his career, he has sought to better understand the military as an institution, its place in American culture and its role in the U.S. and around the world.
“For the 93% of us who have not served in the military, it’s really incumbent on us, as a matter of citizenship, to examine the military’s role in society and the work that we ask it to do,” Kieran noted. “We must engage thoughtfully, respectfully and rigorously with our fellow citizens in and out of uniform about the work that the military do and the lives that those who serve live.”
Specifically, Kieran’s career has centered on the organizational culture of the U.S. Army, as well as how Americans both within and outside the military have grappled with the challenging questions that emerged during and after U.S. wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. He credits the Columbus State-Fort Benning-National Infantry Museum partnership as key to his decision to join the CSU faculty. That partnership, he said, will continue to be instrumental in CSU’s role emphasizing the importance of studying and preserving military history.
“Civil discourse in a democratic society depends on a more sustained conversation between the military and American culture—and there is no better place to have that conversation than here in Columbus,” he explained. “As home to a world-class university, a top-10 military museum known the world over, and one of the nation’s largest and most significant military installations, we have the opportunity—and the obligation—to bring people together for the kind of conversations we want to have about the military and its role in the world.”
Interim President John M. Fuchko III, himself a colonel in the Georgia Army National Guard and combat veteran, agreed that Columbus State’s military-related partnerships advance the goals of higher education.
“The creation, application and transfer of knowledge are at the heart of what we do as a university,” Fuchko said. “When it comes to our study of matters related to the military—as well as active-duty and retired soldiers, their families and society—we learn from our mistakes and we learn from our victories. That learning ultimately benefits our society, our military, and our community.”
The Hallock Foundation’s endowed distinguished chair is part of a legacy of support that has included personal gifts to Columbus State from Hallock’s widow, Miriam Johnston Hallock. These gifts have included the donation of his personal papers and other collections to the Columbus State Archives and Special Collections.
David Owings, head of CSU’s archives and special collections, described the Hallock papers as documenting the most pivotal eras of 20th-century U.S. military history—including World War II, the Korean War and the Cold War.
“This important collection, along with others at the CSU Archives and Special Collections, offers a unique opportunity for students to study original primary source documents to support their research endeavors,” Owings explained. “Along with Dr. David Kieran’s arrival at CSU, we are seeking to further cultivate our military history collections to support the research of our students and other scholars.”
Like Kieran, Owings considers the university’s various military partnerships key in growing those collections.
“We have an amazing opportunity at CSU in partnership with Fort Benning and other local area institutions such as the National Infantry Museum to provide our students with an experience not possible anywhere else,” he explained. “In support of this program, we want to provide students the best archival resources not found anywhere else in the nation.”
Along with those resources and partnerships, the Colonel Richard R. Hallock Distinguished University Chair in Military History has equipped Columbus State to expand its influence in novel ways. The first step in that plan is the March 10-11 symposium Kieran is organizing with National Infantry Museum staff to observe the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War—one of our nation’s longest, and most controversial, military campaigns.
“The upcoming ‘Iraq War: a 20-Year Retrospective’ symposium is the beginning of a much larger project to achieve our vision for military studies at Columbus State,” Kieran explained. “This two-day symposium and its frank and informed discussions will help the university strengthen and expand CSU’s military network and the opportunities for students studying these topics.”
The symposium—free to the public—will include keynotes and panel discussions featuring 25 leading scholars, veterans, active-duty military members and Iraqi civilians to study the Iraq War and all its dimensions. They will share their perspectives and answer questions about the war’s purpose and strategy, its physical and psychological costs, its successes and failures, the wartime experiences of both soldiers and civilians, and what lessons we should take from those facets of the Iraq War.
“Many of our panelists were selected because they represented particular viewpoints—and sometimes ones that contrast with those of other panelists,” Kieran explained. “That type of point and counterpoint ensures our symposium conversations are robust and diverse.”
Brigadier General Peter Jones (U.S. Army, ret.), an Iraq War veteran who now serves as president and CEO of the National Infantry Museum Foundation, noted that the museum is a natural backdrop for commemorating the Iraq War’s impact on America and the world.
“As the home to Global War on Terrorism Memorial—the only location in the world with the name of every single casualty from The Global War on Terrorism etched in granite—the National Infantry Museum provides a solemn and unique venue for this discussion,” Jones noted. “Additionally, this community paid an incredible toll in particular, as the majority of the names of those granite panels passed through the gates of Fort Benning during their career.”
For more information about “The Iraq War: a 20-Year Retrospective” symposium—including a list of speakers and sessions, and information on how to register online—visit nationalinfantrymuseum.org/theiraqwar/.
ABOUT DR. DAVID KIERAN
Prior to his tenure at Columbus State, Dr. David Kieran held teaching, research and leadership roles at Washington & Jefferson College (Washington, Pennsylvania), Franklin & Marshall College (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) and Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, New York). He has held fellowships in the American Culture Studies Program at Washington University in St. Louis and in the Obert C. and Grace Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah.
Kieran is the author, editor or co-editor of five books on topics including psychological health, PTSD and suicide in the military; the legacy of war and how that legacy is documented, recalled and celebrated; pop culture views of war; wartime activism by American youth; and post-war organizational change within the U.S. military. He has authored op-eds for the Washington Post, Slate and other publications, and has been invited to present his work at the Pentagon and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
He holds a doctorate in American studies from George Washington University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in English from Connecticut College.
ABOUT COLONEL RICHARD R. HALLOCK
A master World War II parachutist who trained at Fort Benning, Colonel Richard R. Hallock received 27 military decorations, including a Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, and the Legion of Merit. In his long, subsequent career at the Pentagon, he was renowned for pursuing the interests of American soldiers—sometimes in the teeth of vigorous bureaucratic opposition. He led a 10-year, behind-the-scenes battle for the U.S. Army to adopt as its standard rifle the M-16, which he knew from extensive experiences and field testing to be the best weapon for American infantrymen.
Upon leaving active service in 1967 after a 25-year military career, Hallock became an advisor to Defense Secretary James Schlesinger and consulted on political-military affairs—particularly in the Middle East. He and his wife, Myrian Johnston Hallock, retired to Oberlin, Ohio, where in consultation with his alma mater, Oberlin College, he developed the idea for a class and lecture series to address the changing nature of national security.
After retirement, Hallock found entrepreneurial success with his Intrec and Quaestor corporations, which specialized in management consulting and real estate investments. Mrs. Hallock now resides in Columbus, and they established the foundation bearing his name before his death in 1999. He is buried in the post cemetery at Fort Benning.
