REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Soldiers from the Army's most deployed branch -- air defense artillery -- came together at Aviation and Missile Command headquarters Oct. 27-28 for the chance to learn and network during the annual AMCOM 101 for Missiles.
Their first networking opportunity came right at the start when they were welcomed by three of the Army's top officers -- AMCOM commander Maj. Gen. Jim Richardson; Brig. Gen. Neil Thurgood, the program executive officer for Missiles and Space; and Brig. Gen. Chris Spillman, commandant of the Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill, Okla.
"You have a great relationship within the air defense community. You are really here to build relationships, and to put a name with a face. I'm impressed with the entire aviation and missile community," Richardson, an aviator by experience, told the air defenders.
"The most deployed branch in the Army is air defense. Your optempo is extremely high. Our job is to be responsive to your needs."
During the two-day event, Soldiers learned about AMCOM's role in missile readiness and logistics and about missile programs like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile system and the Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar air defense system as well as about AMCOM organizations such as Safety; Test, Measurement and Diagnostics Activity; and the Security Assistance Management Directorate. They also heard presentations from representatives of the PEO for Missiles and Space, the Tank and Automotive Command and the Communications Electronics Command.
"AMCOM is part of an enterprise made up of organizations like the PEO for Missiles and Space, and the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center. We all work together every day to be responsive to your needs and to enable your readiness," Richardson said.
AMCOM is a team of about 18,000 employees who provide support and supply to missile and aviation Soldiers.
"We're doing a lot of good things that you don't see behind the success," Richardson said. "Reset and recap make a big difference. We have the most experienced artisans in the world to work on your equipment."
Thurgood, who leads the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space, also elaborated on the "very powerful" Redstone Arsenal team construct that is at work on behalf of Soldiers.
"We are all in support of one thing and one thing only and that is you, supporting the Soldier in the fight … In our world, it doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing, that's our priority," Thurgood told the more than 100 Soldiers in the audience.
General officers such as Richardson, who leads AMCOM as an AMC subordinate command; Spillman, who is a subordinate to the Training and Doctrine Command; and Thurgood, all represent different segments of the Army that are managing programs in support of Soldiers. But, eyeing his audience, Thurgood said it is with the enlisted Soldiers "where all the magic happens."
Army leadership is constantly looking for way to improve working conditions for Soldiers. Thurgood said he recalled being at Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona when an Army officer asked an enlisted Soldier assigned to the Q-53 Radar what he would fix if he was given $1 billion. The Soldier said he would fix his gloves. The gloves he was assigned to do his job were like "moon boots for hands" and he had to instead wear his combat gloves to pound in stakes for the radar. To make matters worse, his combat gloves wore out every three days because of the wear and tear.
With that task in mind, Thurgood said, "You know you have the right gloves when the Soldiers start stealing them. When you can't find them, you have the right gloves."
At times, it can be difficult to get the right parts and equipment to Soldiers, but Thurgood urged the air defenders not to give up in getting what they need.
"Don't let the supply system be a determining factor on your readiness," he said.
The reason air defense artillery units are the most deployed of all Army units, Spillman told the audience, is because "combatant commanders have a strong demand for what we can bring to the fight."
In a world where "significant adversaries out there are developing advanced capabilities" the demand for air defense capabilities is having an effect on Soldiers and families, he said.
Because of that, "we've captured a lot of attention. We take up a lot of time with senior leaders. You hear about air and missile defense every single day," Spillman said.
The Army is spending $10.6 billion to modernize air and missile defense, "bringing capabilities to the force that are sorely needed … We are having a tremendous impact on dealing with obselecense and improving capabilities," he said.
Missile systems like the Patriot will be getting advanced radar capabilities and other missile systems, such as Integrated Battle Field Command System, will be getting software upgrades. Transformation is being discussed and planned for by Army leaders at meetings such as the Air Missile Defense Transformation Summit at Fort Sill.
"We have to transform. We can't deploy new capabilities without transforming," Spillman said.
But even with existing missile capabilities, the Army is maintaining high readiness rates because of organizations such as the Aviation and Missile Command, he said, which focus on readiness, issues like corrosion and setting standard operating procedures.
"I want to thank AMCOM employees personally for their professionalism and ability to achieve the mission," he said. "There's a sense of urgency that AMCOM brings to make sure our Soldiers have the parts they need."
In closing the first session of AMCOM 101 for Missiles, Richardson pointed out one Soldier in the crowd -- Chief Warrant Officer 2 Faith Murray of the 143rd Air Defense Artillery at Fort Bliss, Texas. Murray's unit has been recognized by Gen. Mark Milley, Army chief of staff, as the best Supply Support Activity in the Army. A 14-year veteran, Murray joined at age of 17, and deployed to combat in Iraq at age 19. She credited the close-knit working relationship that her unit has with AMCOM, and how that closeness contributes to effective and efficient Authorized Stockage List management.
"Murray runs the best SSA ever seen in the Army," Richardson said. "The air defense community has the best in the Army."
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