REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- The stamp of experience -- the "Patriot Smart" -- is part of the package that goes along with every Patriot missile system Logistics Assistance Representative who interfaces with air defense Soldiers on behalf of the Aviation and Missile Command.
Retired Chief Warrant Officer Bob Schmidt carried that reputation with him for nearly six years as he worked alongside the Army's air defenders to ensure the Patriot missile system provided defense for U.S. and allied troops and assets. About a year ago, Schmidt transitioned from the demands of a LAR to serve as a Missile System analyst based at AMCOM headquarters at Redstone Arsenal.
"I'm the reach back support for all the LARs in the field," Schmidt said.
"If they are out in the field with the units and they call me, I'm the one who makes sure they get the power supply or the circuit card or whatever piece of equipment they need to keep their Patriot missile system operational. I track all readiness across the fleet. I'm still supporting the Soldiers in the field, just on a larger scale."
As AMCOM prepares to welcome missile LARs and air defenders to Redstone Arsenal for AMCOM 101 for Missiles in late October, it is employees like Schmidt whom they will recognize for taking AMCOM support directly to the Soldier. From Kuwait and Qatar to his home base at Fort Sill, Okla., and now at Redstone Arsenal, Schmidt has leveraged his 23 years of experience as a Soldier repairing Vulcan and Patriot missile systems to assist in sustaining and maintaining Patriot missile systems around the world.
"AMCOM LARs supported me when I was a Patriot warrant officer. They recruited me after my retirement and I thought I could make a difference for Soldiers by continuing to support them," Schmidt said.
"When I retired and then came back to work as a LAR, I knew a lot of the young Soldiers working in the battalion units. From the start, I was working with a lot of the non-commissioned officers and young warrant officers that I knew when I was stationed at Fort Sill. Patriot is a small community."
Serving as a LAR allowed Schmidt to continue military service dressed as a civilian.
"I enjoyed being in the Army and being a warrant officer. It was the best thing to hang around and deploy with the guys. As a LAR, I was still able to do that while still using all the skills I learned during my military career," he said.
Schmidt began his career as a Soldier working as a Vulcan repairman. It was a natural fit for his interests and skill level.
"I've always liked electronics and maintenance, and fixing stuff. I've been working on electronics most of my life," he said.
In 1994, he transitioned to intermediate support for Patriot, serving in a maintenance company. Three years later, he served his first duty station as a warrant officer in a Patriot unit.
"There's a lot more responsibility when you become a warrant officer," he said. "Instead of being the Soldier in a unit calling for maintenance, you are the officer running the maintenance program and responding to that call.
"Instead of being a Soldier who only has to make sure the Patriot missile system is up and running, I was the warrant officer taking care of not only about the Patriot missile itself but also about the radar, the trucks and vehicles and weapons that come with the missile system, the generators and the gas masks, all the gear and equipment that goes along with a Patriot battery. It's a lot more involved."
In 1997, he deployed in support of Patriot to Saudi Arabia, and, in 2003, he deployed again with a Patriot unit in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"Since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Patriot and Patriot units have never left Southwest Asia," Schmidt said.
Before retiring in 2008, Schmidt worked in Patriot at Fort Polk, La.; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Sill, Okla., and in Korea, Kuwait, Iraq and Germany.
As a LAR stationed at Fort Sill, Schmidt focused his efforts on supporting Soldiers with training, technical expertise and organizational know how to keep Patriot units at peak performance. He deployed three times as a LAR -- twice to Kuwait and once to Qatar.
"As a LAR, we do six-month deployments, often with the units we support at our U.S. location," Schmidt said. "Commanders like the continuity of their LAR deploying with them so they don't have to build a relationship or rapport with someone new."
The Patriot missile system requires constant monitoring and daily maintenance. While Soldiers are trained to do these tasks, it is when the system's parts need repair or replacement that the value of a LAR is realized.
"LARs are especially valued when it comes to troubleshooting. Many of the Soldiers who work on these systems are young and don't have a lot of experience, and that experience is really important when you are trying to find out the problem is so that you can fix it," Schmidt said.
"With Patriot, there is always something new. Very seldom do you see the same thing. And, that can present a challenge. Soldiers with less experience will look to their LAR to help them work through issues that affect the Patriot's performance. We also provide them with training to help build Soldier competency with troubleshooting Patriot. It's our job to help them, and to show them the different tracking systems and different tools that will help them do their job."
When Patriot units are stationed at their home base, the LAR is there with them, working hand-in-hand to prepare Soldiers for their next deployment or assignment. When they are deployed, it is AMCOM's commitment to the Soldiers to have a LAR assigned to each Patriot unit.
"Building that reputation and relationship with the Soldiers is very important when you deploy," Schmidt said. "They have to know they can look to their LAR for help when help is really needed."
It is essential that Soldiers keep Patriot operational because of its mission.
"Patriot is the only line of defense we have for incoming ballistic missiles. If something happens and Patriot is not operating then our troops and assets are not being defended," Schmidt said. "We do have Patriot missile systems that overlap to ensure 100 percent all the time."
Schmidt understands a Soldier's perspective when a Patriot missile system does go down.
"I've never had any problems getting the support or the parts that the Soldiers need," he said.
"I've been there. I know what those guys are going through. We do have redundancy in the systems to keep them in operation. Soldiers want to know that their system is doing the job the Army and the nation expects it do to."
Even though a LAR is hired, first and foremost, for technical expertise, it is their attitude on the job that determines their effectiveness.
"It's a lot about your attitude. You have to be willing to support the guys. You've got to want to be there and to be helping them," Schmidt said.
Although he will admit missing being both a Soldier and then a LAR, Schmidt knows his new role in supporting of Patriot missile LARs all around the world still makes a difference in sustaining the mission.
"I do miss being out working on equipment and working with the guys, all those great Soldiers," he said. "But, I know that even in this job, I still get to keep supporting the Soldier, the warfighter. I still get to stay in the fight."
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