As I write this article, it is astonishing that again we face an all-too-familiar situation in the defense legislative arena.The House has passed its versions of the Defense Authorization Bill, the Defense Appropriations Bill and the VA/Military Construction appropriations bills, while the Senate has passed none of those.It is unlikely that the Senate will complete its versions by the time the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. If they don’t finish, the Congress would need to pass a continuing resolution to fund defense at current levels.The continuing resolution (CR) process is fraught with...
The General Creighton W. Abrams Medal for exceptional service to the United States Army is awarded to Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, USA, Ret.Gregg served more than 31 years in the Army before retiring in 1981. Upon completing Officer Candidate School in 1950, Gregg was commissioned a second lieutenant and attended quartermaster training. He served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, as well as in Japan and Germany. He also served as the commander, European Exchange System and deputy chief of staff, logistics, for U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army in Germany, as well as director of logistics, J-4...
Greetings from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), our Army’s and our soldiers’ professional organization.This year we recognize a great noncommissioned officer and former command sergeant major as our 2014 Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge Medal recipient.Command Sgt. Maj. Richard C. Morris, USA, Ret., served in every leadership position from team leader to command sergeant major.Throughout his 23 year career, CSM Morris served in a wide variety of assignments in CONUS and overseas to include Germany and Afghanistan.His final assignments were with the 342nd...
The 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Army ROTC’s Leader Development and Assessment Course graduated at Fort Knox, Ky., on July 6.During the ceremony, 35 cadets commissioned as second lieutenants, starting their careers as Army officers.Each cadet took center stage one at a time, and their loved ones pinned shoulder boards with their new rank insignia to their uniforms. Brig. Gen. Kurt Hardin, commander, 104th Training Division, presented their commissioning certificates, and they received their first salute from a respected soldier close to them.Second Lt. Christoper Ingram, of Rose-Hulman...
The Association of the United States Army selected Sgt. 1st Class Charles Hindbaugh, his wife Virginia, and their six children – Celia, Chalia, Acia, Charles III, Elijah, and Levi – to receive the 2014 AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Award.This annual award recognizes an exceptional family whose volunteerism has contributed significantly to the well-being of the Army community and will be presented to the Hindbaughs at the opening ceremony of the Association’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, which takes place Oct. 13-15, in Washington, D.C.While stationed at Scholfield Barracks from 2011 –...
The Army has confirmed what soldiers have been hearing rumors of for months now – a new camouflage pattern for combat uniforms is on the way with a number of improvements.Beginning in the fall of 2015, the Army will begin issuing to new soldiers an Army Combat Uniform that bears the Operational Camouflage Pattern. That same uniform will also become available in military clothing sales stores in the summer of 2015.Soldiers are expected to retire their current uniform and begin wearing the new pattern by the summer of 2018.The uniform bearing the new pattern will be largely the same as what...
Gen. David Perkins, a 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, has dedicated 34 years of his life to his country. He earned the Silver Star – the nation’s third highest award for valor – after serving as the brigade commander for the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, during the invasion of Iraq and commanding the unit’s "Thunder Run" into Baghdad. In March of this year, he assumed duties as commander, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).He has a hand in every aspect of Army training.He spent July 22 in the field with cadets, touring training...
The first duty of a leader is to keep hope alive.In my experience, good leaders must act, and through their words and their work create a feeling deep inside those who are led that here is someone to trust during difficult times.As a nation, we live in perilous times and face complex threats.It is a time when we need leadership, for the peace of mind of U.S. citizens, for our friends and allies and even for our potential enemies, to show this nation is able to govern itself in a collaborative, purposeful and bipartisan fashion.I have no utopian illusions about the state of play between the...
Coach Michael W. Krzyzewski, legendary head basketball coach at Duke University and a long-time supporter of our men and women in uniform and their families, will receive the 2014 George Catlett Marshall Medal, the highest award presented by the Association of the United States Army.Awarded annually to an individual who has exhibited selfless service to the United States of America, the medal will be presented to Krzyzewski by the Association’s Council of Trustees.He will be recognized for his contributions to the United States of America as a strong supporter of national defense and those men...
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins and Spc. 4 Donald P. Sloat each recieved the Medal of Honor for valor in Vietnam on September 15, 2014.President Barack Obama presented the medals during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Adkins was present to receive his medal and Sloat received his posthumously. Dr. Bill Sloat, Donald’s brother, accepted it on his behalf.In early 1970, an American squad in Vietnam set out on patrol, Obama related. While marching down a trail past a rice paddy, shots rang out and splintered the bamboo above their heads. The lead soldier had tripped a...
Cadet Alfred A. RosilesSt. Mary’s University On June, 21 Army ROTC cadets from across the U.S. traveled to Bosnia-Herzegovina on a mission to learn more about the history and culture of the country, while participating in language training with the country’s armed forces.The ROTC Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency program mission was a short notice mission, with many tentative plans and possibilities in a country that has seen its share of strife and tragedy – and this mission was to be no exception.Just days after Cadet Command accepted the invitation from the host country and...
Brig. Gen. Peggy C. Combs became the 11th commanding general, U.S. Army Cadet Command, Fort Knox, Ky., on March 6, 2014.Combs, a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps distinguished military graduate from Syracuse University and a Chemical Corps officer, previously served as chief of chemical and commandant, U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and commanding general, U.S Army Training Center and Fort Jackson. S.C.In an interview with AUSA NEWS, Combs discusses the future of Cadet Command and the challenges it is facing. *********** Q: What is the...
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will receive the 2015 George Catlett Marshall Medal, the highest award presented by the Association of the United States Army.Awarded annually to an individual who has exhibited selfless service to the United States of America, the medal will be presented to Panetta by the Association’s Council of Trustees.He will be recognized for his contributions to the United States of America as a strong supporter of national defense and his devotion to those men and women who have served or are now serving in our armed forces to protect our freedom and liberty.The...
As our role in Afghanistan recedes, the Army and the wider defense community must look toward the future. The debate continues in Washington, D.C., and beyond on the appropriate role of ground forces. With substantial defense cuts now a reality, the nation’s civilian and military leaders are seeking to build an efficient, innovative and capable force. It must be a force that provides a full range of options for current and future presidents but does so in a cost-effective way.Our nation need look no further than the men and women in their own communities who have served with distinction in...
As a combat surgeon in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Army Reserve Lt. Col. David King was all too familiar with treating injuries inflicted by improvised explosive devices. So it was a horrifying twist of fate when one of the largest mass-casualty events he would face in his career occurred in his own community. He had just completed the 2013 Boston Marathon and was returning home when two explosions prompted the trauma and acute care surgeon to quickly redirect to Massachusetts General Hospital. Within 90 seconds of arriving, King was treating devastating shrapnel and blast injuries sustained by...