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Archive for the ‘Profession of Arms’ Category

Army Begins Operational Deployment Pay

Wednesday, October 30th, 2024

WASHINGTON — Soldiers on approved operational deployments will soon receive $240 per month under the recently approved operational deployment pay program.

“This initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to honoring the daily sacrifices made by Soldiers and their families,” said Dr. Robert Steinrauf, Plans and Resources Director, Deputy Chief of Staff G-1.

The change, effective Oct. 1, 2024, authorizes E-1 to O-6 Soldiers to receive special duty pay in recognition of the greater than normal rigors of operational deployments.

“The Army is dedicated to ensuring that the sacrifices made by our Soldiers and their families are appropriately rewarded. Operational deployment pay represents a significant advancement in this effort,” said Dr. Agnes Gereben Schaefer, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

The regulation that governs the pay is Department of Defense Instruction 1340.26 (Assignment and Special Duty Pay). The pay is earned on a prorated basis.

A memorandum on the ODP can be viewed here.

ODP is not retroactive to before Oct. 1. Soldiers who were on an approved operational deployment on Oct. 1 will receive ODP for the remainder of their deployment.

Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers are also eligible for ODP when they are participating in operational deployments.

Soldiers in combat zone tax exclusion status pay no tax on the ODP, but it is taxable for Soldiers serving outside such locations, Steinrauf said.

By Jonathan Austin, Army News Service

Special Warfare Journal: How ARSOF Fights

Saturday, October 26th, 2024

JUST RELEASED – The Summer/Fall 2024 edition of Special Warfare Journal, “How ARSOF Fights, Future Integration of the SOF-Space-Cyber Triad“ is  available for download now at:  www.swcs.mil/Special-Warfare-Journal/Special-Warfare-Archive

Special Warfare Journal is The Official Professional Journal of U.S. Army Special Operations Forces.

Army Special Operations To Create New Robotics Specialty

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024

USASOC has been experimenting with robotics for several years, as seen in this image of 1st SFG(A) Green Berets during Project Origin at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Despite Army Special Operations leaders discussing the idea of creating a specific robotics careerfield within SOF for years, details are still scarce on this new plan, which could see its first training class as early as 2025.

Most recently USASOC Command Sergeant Major JoAnn Naumann told students at a SOCOM Ignite event at MIT, that the command is creating a new Military Occupational Specialty.

“Special operations is leading the Army by creating a new MOS this year for technology, innovation and integration – a new MOS that does not exist in the Army,” said Naumann. “We’re creating it because we realized that we need it. We will have people whose job is to think about these kinds of problems, build prototypes and then help us once we get the technology integrated into the battlefield and make it work in real-world scenarios.”

The details we’ve uncovered are that the paperwork to create the new MOS is currently at the Department of the Army staff and is expected to be approved by the end of the calendar year. Selection from the force could begin soon after, with the initial training course early in 2025.

The MOS designation is 390A meaning it’s going to be a warrant officer MOS. It’s a novel approach to the challenge and we are told it is for two reasons.

First, there are many within the Army’s SOF formation who have chosen unconventional paths including working with unmanned systems, robotics, and other technologies. They are valuable to the force in these niche roles and there are concerns about losing their expertise as they get passed over for not checking the blocks.

The second reason is that a few years ago Congress gave DoD additional authorities to direct commission those with technical experience of interest to the service. This will allow USASOC to not only recruit talent within house, but also look to industry and academia for the right people.

While no MOS name has been mentioned, it may likely be “Robotics and Unmanned Systems Technician”. This guess is based upon the six week Robotics and Unmanned Systems Integrator Course currently taught as an advanced skill to select SOF at USAJFKSWCS. However, SOF leaders have widely acknowledged that other, emerging technologies are required by their forces.

CMF 39 is of note, simply because it was once used as a Functional Area designation for Civil Affairs officers before it became a branch and adopted MOS 38A. It seems to have become a spare, somewhat under the purview of ARSOF. Joining CMFs 18 (Special Forces), 37 (Psychological Operations), and 38 (Civil Affairs), its reactivation bodes well for the creation of dedicated Cyber, Space, Fires, and other enlisted specialties for technical SOF enablers. Robotics systems are platforms and using their payloads generally requires additional technical expertise.

While the Navy beat them to it by creating a rate for unmanned systems last year, so far RM Sailors haven’t been integrated into the SOF formation. The creation of this MOS is something entirely new, not only for SOF, but all across the Army. They are seeking technicians who will integrate new capabilities. Although these aren’t SOF operator positions, many of the initial cadre will come from SF, Rangers, and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. This will assuredly open doors as they integrate into SOF operations. While we’re unsure how USASOC plans to employ them and where they’ll fit into the organization, or will have their own unit, it’s a move that is a good investment in transformation and the future.

While this new MOS is currently destined to support ARSOF, within the Army there have discussions of creating a Robotics branch. A few years ago during the Maneuver Conference a plan was briefed to create MOS 19R, a non-accessions MOS which would accept volunteers at skill levels two and up from CMFs 11 (Infantry) and 19 (Armor). The plan had skill level 5 (E8 & E9) robotics Soldiers serving as 19Zs or Armor Senior Sergeants.

The difference between SOF’s robotics requirement and the other maneuver branches of the Army is about size. Like their current force structure, armor and infantry units have armored vehicles and in the future will integrate remotely operated and autonomous armored vehicles. SOF will mainly use smaller, very specialized systems like the Ghost Robotics Quadraped Unmanned Ground Vehicle seen above. Some of the tools will be the same across the force, but as taught in the RUSIC training mentioned earlier, SOF students learn to use innovation and additive manufacturing to locally produce specialized payloads for unmanned systems.

With USASOC working toward adoption of a formal requirement for a family of ground robotics and having already heavily adopted Small unmanned Aerial Systems across the formation, this move is the right one. Hopefully, they will create enlisted MOSs for other technical enabler positions.

We expect the Army will follow SOF’s lead and adopt the right systems for the larger force. Hopefully, they’ll implement dedicated personnel from inception as well.

– Story by Eric Graves, Editor

Top photo by Jerome Aliotta, US Army

Quadraped photo by Zachary Rufus, DoD

After a Year of Development, Army Releases Blue Book

Saturday, October 19th, 2024

WASHINGTON — During the “Leading Change Brief” at the annual AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington D.C. on Oct. 15, 2024, Sgt. Maj. of the Army, Michael A. Weimer, announced the U.S. Army has completed and released a digital Blue Book with a companion website. The Blue Book development was announced at last year’s AUSA Annual Meeting.

“You can’t build standards and discipline in a time of crisis,” Weimer said last year. “If we’re really going to be truly ready for large-scale combat operations, we have to have those standards and discipline before we get called upon for that.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond S. Harris, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, was tasked to lead the Blue Book development.

“To meet the SMA’s intent, we had to ensure that we created a digital version that can be accessed anywhere at any time on any device and that is what the team was able to do,” Harris said.

The purpose of the Army Blue Book is to support history, heritage, lineage, and standards and discipline while simultaneously reinforcing trust at echelon and strengthening the Army profession. The book also includes commonly violated or misunderstood standards. The Blue Book is based on the original intent of Baron von Steuben’s Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States and will serve as the base for all unit standards books to create commonality and consistency throughout the Army.

The TRADOC team traveled to several installations across the Army to gather input for the Blue Book. “We wanted to hear from the force during Blue Book development,” said Sgt. Maj. Tyson Crosby, TRADOC Enlisted Initiatives Group and Blue Book lead planner. “We traveled to five installations, engaging with students and cadre from our Non-commissioned Officer Academies. We also solicitated input and insight from senior Army leaders.”

Although TRADOC was tasked with developing the Blue Book, Crosby said they wanted to ensure NCOs outside of TRADOC had input as well.

“The Blue Book mission was not a singular effort. We received great input and feedback from across the Army, making it a collaborative work. The Blue Book is for the entire Army and our overall plan reflects that,” Crosby said.

The final version of the Blue Book is 23 pages (three chapters), designed to be the first three chapters of a unit-level Blue Book. Once a user opens the Army Blue Book through the QR code, they can download the Blue Book PWA using the phones settings, which will create an app on the phone’s screen. In terms of useability, this will act no differently than app from an application store

Through Army University, TRADOC also developed a progressive web application centered around “Strengthening the Profession.” The webapp will serve as a leadership development and Army professionalism hub. It will also give users the ability to print a Blue Book PDF version. The Strengthening the Profession site will be contemporary and user friendly and will include hot topics, links to relevant sites, and professional articles all relevant to strengthening the Army profession and leadership. TRADOC will be the proponent of the site with regular reviews and updates.

The webapp can function like a native, downloadable app from an application store, but will require a QR code or the weblink to access first. When on the site, users can download the app that will take them directly to the site.

“The Army Blue Book was best developed as a PWA,” stated Matthew MacLaughlin, Army University’s mobile division chief. “The instructional designers determined how the info in the book would be optimized for the format, and then the computer scientists built the framework to ensure the execution is seamless and for all screen sizes.”

He added that while native applications have their place, the PWA format for publications allows for faster updates and provide a native-app experience for the user. The website can detect the user’s device type and will format accordingly.

Weimer said the Blue Book is for living by a standard and enforcing that standard amongst teams that are preparing for combat.

“Be disciplined and be brilliant at the basics,” Weimer said.

TRADOC will review the Blue Book content often and conduct updates as necessary.

The new Blue Book can be viewed online through the Central Army Registry website.

By SGM Jason Stadel

USAF Units of Action: Combat Wings, Air Base Wings, Institutional Wings Defined

Saturday, September 28th, 2024

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Department of the Air Force implementation of a new construct that will evolve wings into cohesive Units of Action by separating into Combat Wings, Air Base Wings and Institutional Wings will be a phased approach, starting no later than the summer of 2025.

The new concept will create several organizations capable of conducting deployed combat operations, as well as base defense. Under this future construct, base, institutional and combat missions will transition into distinct organizations – called Institutional Wings and Combat Wings – each with separate commanders.

Air Force combat wings will be structured as mission-ready Units of Action and will have all the necessary elements stationed together at the same installation where they can train together on a day-to-day basis.

Deployable Combat Wings will evolve to deploy as fully trained teams and will replace the Expeditionary Air Base and Air Task Force models previously announced in Sept. 2023.

Combat Wings will focus on mission-level warfighting readiness, supported by Air Base Wings who are focused on power projection platform readiness (the installation).

Institutional wings will continue to provide support and capabilities essential to the organize, train and equip requirements of the U.S. Air Force.

The goal is 24 Deployable Combat Wings fielded to meet the Air Force’s rotational demands and provide depth for emerging crises – 16 Active Duty and 8 Reserve Component Wings.

The phased implementation approach includes:
Establishing Air Base Wings at installations that host Combat Wings and/or Institutional Wings with supported/supporting relationship.

Establish the deployable variant of the combat wing: the Deployable Combat Wing. Each DCW will have a redesigned concept of support for GPC schemes of maneuver, including Agile Combat Employment, to ensure the wings are prepared to execute their wartime functions and missions with assigned Airmen and units.

The Air Force will begin deliberately implementing Combat Wings, Air Base Wings and Institutional Wings across the force as early as summer 2025. The first Combat Wings should be ready to deploy elements by late 2026 (FY27).

Evolution from XAB to ATF to CW

In 2023, the Air Force established the Expeditionary Air Base (XAB) as an initial force presentation model in its transition from Air Expeditionary Wings to a future force presentation model. The Air Force has been deploying Airmen under the XAB construct since the fall of 2023 and will continue to do so in the coming years.

The first Air Task Forces entered the AFFORGEN cycle during the reset phase in summer 2024 and will become deployment ready in the fall of 2025. These initial ATFs will replace some of the XABs as the US Air Force’s deployable unit of action.

During this pilot period, the Air Force will deploy Airmen using both the XAB and ATF force presentation models. Concurrently, the Combat Wing, Air Base Wing and Institutional Wing phased approach will begin. Combat Wings will replace ATFs and XABs.

DAF Public Affairs

Soldiers Stationed at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Shoot for the Schützenschnur

Friday, September 27th, 2024

ALTENDIEZ, Germany – At the invitation of the Bundeswehr Landeskommando Hessen (Bundeswehr Hesse State Command), approximately 30 Soldiers stationed at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden competed at the Bundeswehr Shooting Range in Altendiez, Germany, Sept. 12, to earn the German Schützenschnur.

The German Schützenschnur is a decoration of weapons proficiency for enlisted Soldiers.

The American Soldiers took the opportunity to earn the coveted Schützenschnur badge by participating in a shooting event that consisted of two weapons, firing rounds to qualify on the German armed forces P8 semi-automatic pistol and the standard Bundeswehr rifle, the G36.

“I had so many hands go up and there were more who wanted to go,” said Maj. Brandon McFarlane, Headquarters U.S. Army Europe and Africa G3 Civil Affairs Division, about the Landeskommando invitation. “I’ve done the march portion of the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) before. It was tough, but we did it, just like we are going to do the Schützenschnur as the next step towards the GAFPB.”

Staff Sgt. Kasey Griffin from the 66th Military Intelligence battalion spoke about the pride she would feel, from earning the Bundeswehr badge.

“It is a challenge, and to be able to participate in the partnership with the Landeskommando Hessen is an experience I will never forget,” said Griffin.

“I am confident I’ll make it”, said Spc. Mia Shaw, who also serves with the 66th MI. “I am used to handling a pistol, so it should not be a problem to deal with the P8 and shoot some reasonable results.”

Marines often serve in a variety of special capacities, whether protecting our Nation’s embassies abroad or recruiting the next generation of United States Marines. Two Marines, Sgt. Dillon Houk and his teammate, Sgt. Markus Jones, both serving as security guards for the Germany embassy in Frankfurt, also took on the Schützenschnur challenge.

Houk said, “To pull the trigger of the German P8 is different from what I am used to dealing with.”

“The German pistol seems a bit bigger, but sure, I am convinced that we will meet this challenge,” Jones added.

Soldiers from the 56th Artillery Command, 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, 2nd Theater Signal Brigade and 102nd Strategic Signal Battalion, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, 86th Airlift Wing and Marine Embassy Guard competed in the event. At the end of the day 28 of the Soldiers received a medal, three of them gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze.

By Roland Schedel

US Space Force Launches Inaugural Consolidated Officer Training Course for Guardians

Saturday, September 7th, 2024

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

The U.S. Space Force inaugural Officer Training Course began Sept. 3, at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

OTC is the Space Force’s initial leader development course created to produce a multidisciplinary officer corps with a broad understanding of mission concepts and a foundational baseline to synchronize effects across the range of Space Force operational missions.

The Space Force will provide a 12-month initial skills training curriculum that delivers the necessary training in satellite, intelligence and cyber operations disciplines, ensuring officers learn to be a Guardian first and specialist second.

“We are establishing this new course to prepare our Space Force officers to deal with the range of complex operational and technical problems that are central to Great Power Competition,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.

To successfully reoptimize for GPC against advanced adversaries, the Space Force is focused on developing all officers with a broadened knowledge of military operations in the space domain, as well as joint and combined forces planning and employment.

“In order to lead effectively, our officers must have a comprehensive understanding of all elements of space power,” said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “The establishment of OTC gives every officer the baseline knowledge necessary to successfully lead operations in our technically demanding and highly contested environment.”

After OTC completion, officers will be qualified to serve in cyber, intelligence, and space operations positions but will focus in one of the three disciplines, based on their aptitude, preferences, and the needs of the Space Force. All officers will begin in an operational assignment with Force Modernization opportunities as follow-ons.

“OTC’s fusion of the most critical officer skillsets into one comprehensive program reinforces our commitment to reoptimizing for Great Power Competition,” said Maj. Gen. Timothy Sejba, commander, Space Training and Readiness Command. “I’m proud and excited to continue training our world-class Guardians in delivering superior space capabilities.”

The establishment of OTC is just one initiative within the Space Force’s broader efforts to redesign career paths for officer, enlisted, and civilians to meet the high-tech demands of the service and build a combat-credible force.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Commemorate National POW Day on 19 September at the Airborne and Special Operational Museum in Fayetteville

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024

To commemorate National POW MIA Recognition Day, join us at the ASOM on September 19 for a Lindsay Lecture Series event with MSGT Lawrence “Bud” Wilson, who was a prisoner of war during the Korean War for two years.

Register here. All active duty service members get in free upon registration.

MSGT Wilson’s Story

MSGT Lawrence “Bud” Wilson was an Army medic during the Korean War. On May 18, 1951, his team was surrounded, and life changed for him on that day.

“There was nowhere to run. I thought that was the end of me,” Wilson said.

He was taken as a prisoner of war by Chinese forces. For the next two years, four months and 18 days, he lost his freedom. And the captivity was hard.

“The first thing you came down with was diarrhea. The next thing was head lice and body lice,” Wilson described.

He and the other POWs lost almost a third of their weight while they were confined. They also came under fire.

But Wilson managed to survive the ordeal. Learn more about his time in captivity by joining us on the eve of National POW/MIA Day at the ASOM.