FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The U.S. Army Special Operations Command's G9 Directorate honored 11 civil service workers and one Soldier for their outstanding service during a Plank Owner ceremony, April 22, at the headquarter's building.
"To be a Plank Owner is to be a part of an organization's legacy," said Robert A. Warburg, the Deputy Chief of Staff, G9. "Today's ceremony is intended to honor the original vision for the G9 and those team members who accepted the initial challenge of standing up a new directorate and setting it on a path to excellence."
Warburg emphasized the importance of the recipients' work in a changing and demanding Special Operations environment. The G9 leads the effort to develop experiments and assess concepts for the future Army special operations force in order to inform decision makers.
"We serve in a directorate that is chartered by CG, USASOC to conduct the critical thinking that generates the ideas, concepts and capabilities that anticipate the new demands the force will face. Our no-fail objective for the Command and its Soldiers, Civilians and families is to maintain a competitive edge over our nation's adversaries," he added. "Through your individual and collective efforts, we have successfully realized the G9's charter and continue each day to attain new levels of excellence in thought and action for the contemporary and future force."
"This is one of the best parts of the job, to recognize excellence," Richard Holcomb, Deputy to the USASOC commanding general, said to the recipients.
Gesturing to the group before him, Holcomb said:
"They have established the excellent work that the G9 is doing and will be part of the legacy. You are an incredible team and incredible people and I am proud to work with you."
Warburg echoed Holcomb's sentiment by closing out with:
"It is an honor to serve every day at USASOC."
Those who were honored were:
Brian Stoll -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his advancement of the understanding of Gray Zone operations to the left of Phase 0 and in the progressive exploration of the challenges facing the U.S. in the Future Operating Environment, as the facilitator of the USASOC Futures Forum, a Forum of more than 400 participants from more than 100 organizations across the Future Operating Environment Community of Interest.
James Sheckels -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his instrumental role in the development of analytical processes to objectively prioritize ARSOF capability, capacity, and/or proficiency gaps and produce the Prioritized-Capabilities Based Program List (P-CBPL) in support of the Capabilities Analysis IPT within the Capability Development Segment of the USASOC SPP.
Craig Patterson -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his development, maturation, and maintenance of administrative systems for the Concepts Division, he ensured the development and execution of comprehensive plans and strategies for the internal and external integration of day-to-day and long-range projects, actions and activities within the division.
David Paddock -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his expert and professional presentation on "Socio-Political Active Measures: Three Case Studies" and "Creeping Annexation" to a 400 person COI, including a review of Russia's renewed use of political warfare in the gray zone by resurrecting the strategy of "Realpolitik", establishing indicators and warnings in today's operating environment, and the Russian preference in accomplishing annexation in today's operating environment.
Wesley Crawford -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his instrumental role, as the DCS, G-9 Information Management Officer, in ensuring the Directorate's successful and smooth move from Building E-2929 to Building E-2431. He single handedly planned and coordinated the move of the entire Directorate's inventory of automatic data processing equipment.
Paul Ott -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his key role, as the lead action officer, in the ongoing development of the Unconventional Warfare Functional Concept (UWFC). He oversaw the development and review of multiple versions of the UWFC in close coordination with USASOC Staff Directorates and Component Subordinate Commands and Units and ensured a fully integrated effort across the USASOC enterprise.
Leonard Gaddis -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For outstanding performance as the lead action officer for development of eleven ARSOF Organizational and Operational (O&O) Concepts, which were singled out by ARCIC during an O&O coordination conference as the best across the Army.
Michael Ceroli -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his exceptional coordination of the Psychological Operations Organizational and Operational (O&O) Concept with TRADOC Commodity Managers for Infantry, Armor, and Stryker BCTs at the Maneuver Center of Excellence to integrate PSYOP capability requirements for tactical support to maneuver BCTs.
Larry Deel -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his role as the lead action officer in designing the March 2016 USASOC Capability Development Off-Site, which initiated operationalization of the Command's recently designated Deputy Commanding General - Force Modernization and Development (DCG-FMD) and laid the groundwork for integration of the Special Operations Center of Excellence (SOCoE) into USASOC Capability Development processes.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry Olson -- Army Achievement Medal
For outstanding achievement while advising the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory on Research and Development requirements. His advice on the project was instrumental in securing $450K in FY15 funding and ensuring an additional $650K in FY17 for the Thermos-Electric project.
Not Present for the Ceremony:
Michael Doyle -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his development of analytics within the USASOC SILENT QUEST program of experimentation with rigor to inform and validate proposed concepts driving the future of Army Special Operations, allowing SILENT QUEST to serve as validation and a justification venue for strategic command initiatives to include the Gray Zone and Comprehensive Deterrence concepts that will define ARSOF for years to come.
Brian Ebert -- Achievement Medal for Civilian Service
For his instrumental role in the overwhelming success of the HQDA G-3 directed Total Army MISO Assessment, which resulted in consensus by all five members of the General officer Steering Committee on the way ahead for the Total
MISO Force to enable Equipping, Force Modernization Proponency resourcing, and the requisite Force Management processes to improve the capabilities and readiness of the Total PSYOP Force.
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