Archives for June 2020

Urban Search and Rescue conducts training course at Fort Leonard Wood

June 19, 2020

Brian Hill

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 19, 2020) — Nine Soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, are getting vital Urban Search and Rescue training here as the Army continues to find ways to train the force while simultaneously mitigating COVID-19 risks.

Many health and safety issues had to be worked out before Soldiers could travel here for training, to include travel arrangements, housing and classroom spacing requirements and daily health checks for both the students and instructors.

According to Jay Rutherford, Urban Search and Rescue Training Department chief, the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Directorate of Training and Doctrine was briefed on the mitigation strategy to comply with Defense Department policies and orders from Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. Approval was granted and the US&R training department will train five courses this year.

“We separated the living conditions in the barracks, we got the classroom set up where they’re all six-feet apart,” he said. “All the mitigation strategies that we presented are in effect right now and working well.”

The Soldiers attending the 38-day Urban Search and Rescue course spent two weeks in quarantine. Their journey here, in a pair of rental vans, was regulated so as only to allow stops for fuel and food, and then only curbside or drive-thru service could be used.

“They provided us everything we need to make sure we’re comfortable. Once we got here, they had everything set up for us,” said Pfc. Magic Dowe, who’s been in the Army just nine months. “They met us at the gate. It was really accommodating – an easy process.”

While attending the course, the Soldiers are learning rescue techniques for a variety of scenarios, including rope, confined space, trench, structural collapse, vehicle and machinery rescue. They’re learning how to tie knots, set up rigging systems and prepare patients for evacuation. Upon successful completion, each Soldier gains college credits and certifications they can use in the civilian world as well as in the Army.

Rutherford said all nine Soldiers passed their first test over what’s called the Common Core, and they have moved into rope rescue training.

Spc. Breanah Brooks said the entire class is working together to study the material.

“Learning the steps to everything is difficult,” she said. “We all get together, though – we work it out.”

Dowe completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood five months ago, and he said he’s enjoying a different training experience here this time.

“It’s not your typical knots,” he said. “It’s really great information. It takes time – it’s something that you really have to pay attention to. You do it right and the end goal is to save lives.”

Fort Leonard Wood is the only U.S. Army installation where urban search and rescue courses are taught.

“It really gets hectic after this (class),” Rutherford said, noting that the annual training load for the course is 350 students. “We’ll start picking up again. We have four more classes this year and then we’ll have everything closed out and all the students home before Thanksgiving.”

Staff Sgt. Harry Cruz, a Construction Engineer Supervisor at Fort Hood, Texas, demonstrates the building of a 9:1 compound mechanical advantage system while Kito Perry, an Urban Search and Rescue course training instructor, provides technical assistance. (Photo by Brian Hill)

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.

Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

Forney Airfield project provides training, savings and safety

June 19, 2020

Brian Hill

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 19, 2020) — A water hazard near Forney Airfield’s flight line has become an opportunity for Fort Leonard Wood engineer units to train on equipment and save time and money at the same time – all while making the airfield safer.

According to 509th Clearance Company Commander David Hoy, the “mutually beneficial project” allows his unit to gain critical experience on their earth-moving equipment while providing a closer location for another unit, Company A, 554th Engineer Battalion, to place clean fill from a separate on-going concrete-removal project being accomplished on post in conjunction with the Missouri National Guard. The clean fill assists Forney Airfield with the removal of a safety hazard due to the presence of birds and the proximity of the water to the flight path – at the same time, saving money that would’ve otherwise been needed to alleviate the hazard.

“Our operators get to build proficiency and support the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence team as well as safety on the airfield,” Hoy said. “Our operators have a high probability of going to a construction unit later in their career. Because of that, we continue to look for ways to challenge them with similar problem sets they will encounter when they join a construction unit, in addition to their combat skills they constantly train on in our clearance company.”

Airport Manager Dave Robinson sees the project as a win for everyone.

“We’ve got Soldiers getting training,” he said. “It’s always a win-win when – on a training installation – we can assist the trainers. We’re all working together and we’re saving money at the same time.”

Hoy said the airfield management team “floated the idea” to him of filling in the water hazard as a training opportunity after the 509th completed a separate foliage-removal project that earned five commendation and achievement medals from garrison command in February.

The 509th Clearance Company, with help from the 50th Multi Role Bridge Company and the 5th Engineer Battalion’s Survey and Design section, gathered data June 11 on how much fill would be required to completely fill in a water hazard near Forney Airfield. (Photo Credit: Photo by Capt. Cortland Henderson)

Company A, 554th Engineer Battalion dump trucks bring clean fill to a project near Forney Airfield from a separate on-going concrete-removal project being accomplished on post in conjunction with the Missouri National Guard. (Photo Credit: Photo by Brian Hill)

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

Esper conducts re-enlistment ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood

June 18, 2020

Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 18, 2020) — Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper thanked Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri today for being a part of the “elite” group of Americans who serve on “the greatest team history has known,” the United States military.

As part of a multi-state trip, Esper, accompanied by Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Ramón “CZ” Colón-López, visited Fort Leonard Wood to meet with leaders from the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence to discuss the continued growth of the nation’s Soldiers under COVID conditions and to observe basic combat training. He also led a sensing session with service members and conducted a re-enlistment ceremony where 53 Soldiers recommitted their obligation to defend the Constitution of the United States.

“You are heroes in my book,” Esper said to the Soldiers taking part in the re-enlistment ceremony on MSCoE Plaza. “You are a part of that elite 1 percent – that 1 percent of the American population that raises their hand, swears that oath and commits to do everything they can and everything that might be to protect our great country.”

Before Esper administered the Oath of Enlistment, he asked the Soldiers to reflect upon its meaning.

“Our oath is special,” he said. Because, “unlike any other military in the world, we’re not swearing an oath to a king or a queen, to a political party or movement, not even to a parliament or a prime minister.”

By taking the oath, he told the Soldiers that they will promise to protect the Constitution, the nation and will commit “to safeguarding our fellow citizens.”

“We serve an oath to a document, a document that identifies ideas and values that are core to what we are as Americans,” he said. “It says first and foremost that we are a democracy of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Second, he said, the document guarantees Americans liberties and freedoms that are “the hallmark of our great republic.”

“And finally, it gives us all rights, rights that are the envy of the world,” he said. “As you swear that oath, reflect upon those things and know that the ideas and values that that document embodies are ideas and values that instill fear in the minds of our adversaries and hope in the hearts of our friends and allies abroad.”

Esper said he felt honored and privileged to have those Soldiers re-enlist in the U.S. military.

“Today, you will once again be rejoining the greatest military in the world – the military that has defended that document, those rights and values for over 200 years,” he said. “Today, you continue that proud legacy, and I couldn’t have more pride myself and respect for all of you in choosing to do so. I feel honored and privileged to have you on our team, the greatest team history has known.”

One Soldier who took part in the re-enlistment ceremony was Staff Sgt. Maria Ynonan, a drill sergeant with the 3^rd Chemical Brigade who has served in the Army for more than six years. Today, she re-enlisted in the Army for six more and said it was a “great honor” to have Esper conduct the re-enlistment.

Spc. Jesus Roldan with the 5^th Engineer Battalion agreed.

“With the pandemic that is currently going around, and for (the Secretary of Defense) to go out of his way and pretty much re-enlist every single Soldier here (today), it means a lot,” Roldan said.

In addition to the re-enlistment ceremony, Esper met with Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, and received overviews on the Harper In-processing Screening Clinic and the 10-week, modified Basic Combat Training – referred to as two-plus-eight due to a built-in initial two-week controlled-monitoring phase – which allows the Army’s newest Soldiers to learn all the same skills, but with COVID-19 mitigation protocols in place. He also observed training at the Physical Endurance Confidence Course. He ended his visit with a sensing session with 14 service members from the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force with diverse backgrounds and experiences to hear their concerns regarding a variety of topics including, readiness and racism in the military.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper conducts mass re-enlistment ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper congratulates Staff Sgt. Maria Ynonan, 3rd Chemical Brigade, after the re-enlistment ceremony.

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper observes training June 18 at Fort Leonard Wood’s Physical Endurance Confidence Course. Esper , accompanied by Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Ramón “CZ” Colón-López, visited Fort Leonard Wood to meet with leaders from the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence to discuss the continued growth of the nation’s Soldiers under COVID conditions and to observe basic combat training. He also led a sensing session with service members and conducted a re-enlistment ceremony where 53 Soldiers recommitted their obligation to defend the Constitution of the United States.

To see Secretary of Defense Mark Esper’s speech, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/12EbS6FYKN3eos7yOFLzyzANPERi5DW59/view?usp=sharing.

To see the re-enlistment ceremony conducted by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/10KyLPvCULyW6pditRS-hK5tUrS2W4tVz/view?usp=sharing.

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

Fort Leonard Wood to hold ceremony June 26 for MSCoE commanding general

June 18, 2020

Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 18, 2020) — A change of command ceremony for the commanding general of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood is scheduled to take place June 26 on the installation. The ceremony will be virtual and can be found at https://www.facebook.com/fortleonardwoodmissouri/.

The change of command is slated to begin at 9 a.m.

Maj. Gen. Donna Martin will relinquish command of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood to Brig. Gen. James Bonner, who most recently served as Commanding General of the 20^th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives, or CBRNE Command.

Martin, who took command of the post Aug. 28, 2018, will be the Provost Marshal General of the Army, Commanding General U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

The following additional ceremonies will also be taking place across the installation June 22 through 26. All will be livestreamed on https://www.facebook.com/fortleonardwoodmissouri/.

June 22 at 2 p.m. — General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital ground breaking

June 23 at 10 a.m. — General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital change of command where Col. Kimberlie Biever relinquishes command to Col. Aaron Pitney

June 24 at 2 p.m. — 1^st Engineer Brigade change of command where Col. Kip Korth relinquishes command to Col. Gerald Law

June 25 at 10 a.m. — U.S. Air Force 368th Training Squadron change of command where Lt. Col. Josh Aldred relinquishes command to Lt. Col. Allen Branco

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

Museum complex completing full inventory of its artifacts this month

June 11, 2020

Sam Campbell

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 11, 2020) — To prepare for reopening for service member education in July, the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex is conducting inventory checks on tens of thousands of artifacts across its three museums: Chemical Corps, Engineer and Military Police.

The full inventory check comes as part of an accountability requirement from the U.S. Army Center of Military History that applies to all museums across the Army.

“Each one of our artifacts are tagged with a number, a control number, so we can identify it and make sure the artifact is what our records say it is,” said Scott Franklin, collection curator for the Engineer Museum. “We check the tag with the description, and the artifact and the number to make sure they all match up.”

The museums normally check five percent of their total inventory every month, museum staff said.

“That equates to, every two years, we do a 100-percent inventory,” he said.

“The full inventory is in addition to the five percent monthly inventory,” added Cynthia Riley, a museum specialist with the Chemical Corps Museum. “So, although I’ve already inventoried 35 percent of the artifacts, they must be recounted during the full inventory.”

She said the full check is to ensure museums – which have been closed to the public due to COVID-19 – have proper records of historical pieces before they reopen for service member education – one of their primary missions.

“Additionally, this particular 100-percent inventory entails the assignment of each item in the collection into a variety of new categories, as designated by the Center of Military History,” Riley said. “It requires the presence of two museum staff for verification purposes, meaning that we cannot conduct the inventory while either staff member is engaged in any other task.”

The efficiency of completing two years’ worth of work in one month is only underscored by the fact that the museums at Fort Leonard Wood play host to a small, dedicated team.

“The Engineer Museum, we have three people,” Franklin said. “The Chemical Corps Museum has two, and the MP Museum has one. So, we’re not a large staff here.”

He added that inventory checks provide an opportunity to evaluate the status of the artifacts.

“It entails checking to make sure that all the artifacts we have are accounted for, and in the places that we have listed for them,” he said. “And while we do that, we also check the condition of the artifacts to ensure that they’re in a stable environment and stored properly.”

Franklin said his museum alone accounts for about 11,000 artifacts – ranging from equipment like coats to large vehicles – some of which require special treatment and handling.

“We have our storage area – we keep it climate controlled,” he said. “So that helps stabilize the artifacts and there’s no large fluctuations in temperature, humidity that would degrade the artifacts. That’s important.”

But in addition to caring for thousands of pieces of history, museum staff educate service members from all branches of the military.

“I train Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines in the history of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps,” Riley said. “All the while I am responsible to count, conserve and construct the context in which an object was used so that the object can help to tell the story of Dragon Soldiers.”

Museum staff said their love of history has resulted in having their own personal favorite artifacts, too.

“Every staff member has a favorite artifact that they gravitate towards,” Franklin said. “Mine is a coat from a topographic engineer; it dates from around 1856. The coat is neat in itself, but the guy who it belonged to was a character, and that’s what I like about it.”

Riley said it’s hard for her to choose, as it comes down to a tie between two pieces.

“The first would be the ‘Stryker’ NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle, serial No. 1, which is located in Phoenix Park, adjacent to 3rd Chemical Brigade Headquarters on Iowa Avenue,” she said. “I like this artifact because I worked to bring this historic vehicle – first of its type – back to Fort Leonard Wood when it was retired.”

The other one, she said, is a device designed to mitigate exposure to chemical agents.

“The second would be an infant protector, (which is) designed to give temporary minimum protection against chemical and/or biological contaminants,” she said. “I am fascinated with the simple design of this object.”

Both Riley and Franklin encouraged the public to see artifacts like these upon the museum’s reopening, which is tentative given current public health and social distancing protocols. More specific information about the reopening will be released as it becomes available.

Scott Franklin, collection curator for the Engineer Museum, checks the condition of a U.S. flag dating back to the Spanish-American War June 4 during a month-long inventory of all artifacts housed at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex here. (Photo by Brian Hill)

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

‘We are listening:’ USAMPS provides forum for junior officers and senior leaders

June 10, 2020

Brian Hill

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 10, 2020) — The U.S. Army Military Police School leadership invited junior MP officers to an open discussion June 5 that covered some of the social issues currently facing this country.

The event, held at Lincoln Hall Auditorium, gave officers currently enrolled in the Basic Officer Leadership and Captains Career Course a chance to discuss topics such as racism and civil unrest with their school’s senior leadership.

According to Col. Matthew Gragg, USAMPS training and education director and moderator of the event, the idea to put together a panel of senior leaders and allow non-attributable comments from MP junior officers was born out of multiple discussions within the school as to the need of addressing concerns.

“Amidst the protests across the country we determined that if the rest of the country was in turmoil, then our students would be feeling the same pain, anger and concern for their families and communities,” he said.

Senior leaders who attended the event included USAMPS Commandant Brig. Gen. Brian Bisacre; Assistant Commandant Col. Curt Schroeder; Donna Ferguson, Behavioral Sciences Education and Training Division chief; Lt. Col. Kevin Payne, Command and Tactics Division chief; Lt. Col. Rodney Johnson, 1st Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment commander; and Lt. Col. Jamon Junius, 795th Military Police Battalion commander.

The event began with an introduction of the panelists, to include Bisacre, who spoke to the lieutenants and captains in attendance.

“Ask hard questions,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable time in America and these are some tough topics for our nation.”

However, Bisacre said he sees the present situation as an opportunity for things to change for the better.

“When you’re trying to drive change you need three things: a problem of national significance, policy makers paying attention, and citizens bringing it up. These three streams brought together doesn’t happen very often. 9/11 was one of those moments, and I think we’re in one now.”

Despite the issues currently being debated in America, Bisacre called democracy in the U.S. “resilient.”

“We are a country that’s still together,” he said. “We tend to make positive change.”

As they each took a few minutes to introduce themselves, the senior leaders all discussed their experiences with race relations throughout their lives. A common theme presented to the future leaders of the MP Corps was that it must be a top priority of every leader in the Army to work at understanding every Soldier comes from a different background.

Schroeder, who said he grew up in an area where “99 percent of the people looked and talked like me,” learned about cultural differences in the Army early on when he was sent to training to become his unit’s Equal Opportunity officer.

“We spent almost the entire two weeks focused on individual biases, how each of us looked at the world,” he said. “I felt out of my comfort zone to say it lightly … but in the end it made me a better leader, a better person.”

Johnson said building relationships is a key element to leadership.

“You will lead a diverse group,” he said. “You need to understand your Soldiers.”

Payne said his Ohio upbringing took him from “not a good area” of Cleveland, to the university town of Athens.

“I had to learn a lot about different cultures really quickly,” he said. “At a certain point you have to stop and listen to understand. Talking past each other creates a fractured society and ineffective leadership.”

Learning to let go of biases was another key point made by members of the panel.

“Get out of your comfort zone and talk,” Junius said. “Hate and bias are destructive.”

Many of the students’ questions dealt with how policy change can be achieved in the Army, and Bisacre pointed to the new Battalion Commander Assessment Program as progress in rooting out poor leadership – as change in the military tends to come from the top down.

“Policy alone doesn’t change things – people do,” he said. “There are bad leaders, but the Army is trying to change that.”

Several students asked about how they can be a more positive influence on their communities.

“Tell your story,” Ferguson advised. “Invite them into your culture.”

The discussion went well beyond the two hours originally planned, and Gragg said the event exceeded expectations.

“We did not want them to hold back and wanted to model a way for them to lead and be a part of these discussions in their units,” he said. “Based off the thoughtful and emotional questions presented by the students I certainly think it was needed.”

Gragg added that opportunities like this are being planned for all future professional military education classes.

“We have identified that this cannot be a one-time thing based solely on the events of the past couple of weeks,” he said. “Although we can’t change society, we can have an impact on what we can control, and that’s challenging our students to continue to confront these issues as our future Army leaders.”

Brig. Gen. Brian Bisacre, U.S. Army Military Police School commandant, addresses junior MP officers at an open discussion June 5 at Lincoln Hall Auditorium that covered some of the social issues currently facing this country. (Photo by Capt. Cortland Henderson)

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About Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.

More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission

U.S. Army Fort Leonard Wood Press Center

Official Government Press Center for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri

Archives for June 2020

Urban Search and Rescue conducts training course at Fort Leonard Wood

Forney Airfield project provides training, savings and safety

Esper conducts re-enlistment ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood

Fort Leonard Wood to hold ceremony June 26 for MSCoE commanding general

Museum complex completing full inventory of its artifacts this month

‘We are listening:’ USAMPS provides forum for junior officers and senior leaders