REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (March 30, 2015) -- Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel B. Allyn visited leaders at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, also known as USASMDC/ARSTRAT, March 30, where he received an update on the command's operations, as well as its research to provide enhanced space and global missile defense capabilities to the warfighter.
Allyn assumed duties as the 35th vice chief of staff of the Army, Aug. 15.
As the Army vice chief of staff, Allyn is the principal deputy to the Army's chief of staff, and is the second highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Department of the Army. He previously served as the commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command, from May 2013 to August 2014, and the commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps from 2012 to 2013.
This was the second visit to USASMDC/ARSTRAT headquarters by an Army vice chief of staff and Allyn's first visit to the command.
"Today's visit has been great," Allyn said. "It has been very informative and exciting to listen to the passion of the great [US]SMDC/ARSTRAT team and all they are doing to support the needs of our nation, not only today but well into the future."
Allyn was also briefed on how the command provides planning, integration, control and coordination of Army forces and capabilities in support of the warfighter and U.S. Strategic Command. The command serves as the Army force modernization proponent for space, high-altitude and global missile defense and conducts mission-related research and development in support of its Army Title 10 responsibilities.
"We are truly grateful for the vice chief of staff of the Army taking time to meet with our talented and dedicated teammates. In fact, Gen. Allyn's visit reflects senior leaders' interest in our mission and the unique capabilities we provide to the warfighter," said Lt. Gen. David L. Mann, USASMDC commanding general.
Additionally, Allyn received a space kit overview and demonstration by Col. Eric Handy, division chief, USASMDC G-31 Training and Exercise, or TREX, Division.
Handy briefed Allyn on the latest status of the Army Space Training Strategy, or ASTS, to include recent home station training improvements and support to the combat training centers.
"My biggest key point is explaining to Gen. Allyn about the Army's dependence on space," Handy said. "We talked about the Army Combat Training Centers, specifically the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center. We also discussed the command's work with U.S. Army Forces Command and supporting home station training."
G-3 TREX is the executive agent for the ASTS throughout the Army and conducts a growing home station training program for units preparing to deploy to the Army's combat training centers. While training, brigade combat teams and other Army units face an environment that replicates adversarial threats to their space-enabled systems.
Allyn then visited the command's Concepts Analysis Laboratory, or CAL, where he learned how the command trains college students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines and newly-hired engineers and scientists.
"Members of the CAL got a chance to brief the vice chief about truth sensor support to the counter-rocket, artillery and mortar, or C-RAM, program," said Andrea Weathington, CAL supervisor. "We also discussed manufacturing capabilities using a printed circuit board milling machine, 3-D printers and USASMDC satellite support to include ground station development and operations.
"We emphasized how the CAL efforts will have an impact on the warfighter," she said. "Specifically, how manufacturing capabilities in the tactical environment can be used to provide components rapidly and at a low cost to the Army. We explained how support to SMDC satellite efforts will aid in the collection of imagery data to support battlespace awareness and enable beyond-line-of-sight communications for disadvantaged users utilizing existing fielded radios.
"I also provided information on the student programs the CAL utilizes to recruit and develop [USA]SMDC future engineers," Weathington said. "The visit was a great opportunity to have access to high-ranking Army officials so we can emphasize the importance of developing new professionals in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, education career fields."
After visiting the CAL, Allyn toured the Reagan Operations Center - Huntsville that controls sensors at the Reagan Test Site located at U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and learned about its mission of monitoring deep space and missile operations. The center also provides the command with the necessary tools to remain the Army's operational integrator and force modernization proponent for space, global missile defense, high altitude and related technologies.
Before leaving, the vice chief shared his appreciation for what the command's Soldiers and civilians do for the defense of the country.
"I thanked them for their passion and their commitment, and I look forward to some of the solutions they are going to deliver to our future Army," Allyn said.
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