FORT SILL, Okla., July 20, 2017 -- Modeling and military history reach back to the earliest interests of Jonathan Bernstein, the director of the Army Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Training Support Facility since March 2012.
His grandfather's service as an infantry officer in World War II sparked one of the two. Bernstein said his grandfather shared stories of how he landed at Normandy about a month after D-Day, and fought the Germans across Europe to their homeland and the war's end.
Modeling developed first as a father-son project, when the 4-year-old Bernstein assembled the Starship Enterprise. As he matured he bonded the two interests into one activity -- building models of military equipment or aircraft.
"Over the years I've learned techniques and how to handle tools to where my skills have evolved significantly," he said, but throughout noted, it was "something I absolutely loved."
The two interests contributed to him accepting a job offer at Fort Sill where history and modeling again intertwined with the director fabricating all or part of various ADA weapons systems.
Having opened the existing training support facility in Bldgs. 1505 and 1506, he promptly tested his modeling skills when the staff moved all ADA artifacts to a building next to the airfield while heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems were installed in the two buildings.
"Before anything moved, I was able to layout everything in 35th scale and fit it exactly in, knowing where every piece was going to go," said Bernstein, who added after the HVAC was in place, "When we moved back, everything fit perfectly."
Because the 1500 series buildings were only a temporary location for the training support facility, Bernstein then applied his talents to a permanent solution.
"One of the great things modeling has allowed me to do is to lay out how the training support facility is going to be," Bernstein said.
The model resides inside Snow Hall and shows the detail in which he creates his models. It includes scaled down versions of each weapons system that would be displayed in the facility.
He said the Army Corps of Engineers said the facility model was fantastic and something no one had ever done before. The engineers suggested a slight modification for where the administrative offices should be located, and Bernstein instantly made the changes showing the new layout.
"With all the pieces inside it to show what my intent was, it allowed us to modify the existing design to be even more in line with what our requirements were," he said.
The centerpiece of the facility will be 14 missiles 7-48 feet tall standing in the center of the building. To accommodate the tallest missile, Bernstein added a cupola that will raise the ceiling another 10 feet. This addition will also allow more indirect light into the facility.
"Fabricadabra"
A visitor who briefly glances about Bernstein's office would probably see the boxes of military models stacked on shelves in a closet. While most weapons systems have models one can build, Bernstein sometimes has to get creative to fill in gaps in the ADA facility's inventory, which dates back to before World War I.
He cited the M19 anti-aircraft weapon, which was based on the M24 light tank. The AA gun used the M24 hull to which twin 40 mm anti-aircraft guns were mounted. However, Bernstein said there are no kits available for this configuration.
Instead, he worked from a kit of an M42 Duster, which used the same turret as the M19, and a kit hull of an M24.
"I scratch built the entire superstructure, then was able to fit the M42 turret onto that M24 hull to build an accurate M19," he said.
Bernstein also resurrected the M167 Towed Vulcan Air Defense System.
"I took the gun from a kit of the tracked Vulcan system, and built the towed mount for it," he said.
Off duty, one might think Bernstein would find a hobby that would put his hands to rest, but he said he's happiest when his hands are busy and his mind is occupied figuring out some new project.
Working with the changing nature of military hardware required extensive education. For Bernstein, that led to a master's degree in museum science. He's also about halfway toward completing a doctorate in military history.
"For me, modeling is stress relief -- fantastic stress relief," he said. "Quite often I have a little portable workshop I will bring out and set up on the coffee table and work on as my wife and I watch TV."
Looking back, Bernstein said he's been exceptionally fortunate getting into the military museum career field as it's generally very difficult to get hired.
But, his work will have a lasting impact on Fort Sill, especially for the officers and enlisted personnel who arrive here for ADA training.
"Being part of something to impart this knowledtge to others makes it all worth it," he said. "One of the greatest things occurs when Soldiers tour our facility."
He said a few will reveal their interest in history as they linger to talk and ask questions.
"Talking with these young Soldiers and listening to their ideas is fantastic -- and most rewarding," said Bernstein.
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