SMDC leaders participate in AMCOM 101

By Jason Cutshaw (USASMDC)March 25, 2021

Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, addresses U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command 101 for Missiles on March 23. This year’s virtual forum brought leaders of air defense artillery brigade and battalion command teams together from around world with subject matter experts for an interactive series of briefings and presentations. (Photo by Jason B. Cutshaw)
Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, addresses U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command 101 for Missiles on March 23. This year’s virtual forum brought leaders of air defense artillery brigade and battalion command teams together from around world with subject matter experts for an interactive series of briefings and presentations. (Photo by Jason B. Cutshaw) (Photo Credit: Jason Cutshaw) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama – The Army’s senior air and missile defense leader told participants at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command 101 for Missiles forum, March 23, that warfighters cannot shoot, move or communicate without Army space.

During the annual forum for leadership and professional development, Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, USASMDC commanding general, emphasized that his command organizes, trains, equips and deploys Army space and global missile defense forces to conduct worldwide space and missile defense operations in support of the joint force.

“Between our 1st Space Brigade as well as our Satellite Operations Brigade, Army space enablers are critical,” Karbler said. “Within a brigade combat team almost 3,000 pieces of equipment are space enabled. It goes without saying, you can’t shoot, move or communicate without Army space helping you out.”

As the Army Service Component Command to U.S. Space Command, USASMDC helps them protect and defend U.S. assets in space that provide important everyday capabilities.

“It is great having an Army four-star general (Gen. James H. Dickinson) as the USSPACECOM commander,” Karbler said. “He brings a different warfighting perspective to space where you approach everything in space as a warfighting domain like the land or the air or the sea.”

During the interactive series of briefings and presentations, Karbler told the leaders of air defense artillery brigade and battalion command teams gathered from around the world that USASMDC is always prepared to support them.

“If you are deployed or you’re forward-stationed, I am tracking your status,” Karbler said. “You can always reach out to SMDC if you’re having any kind of challenges. We can certainly work the issues for you and I welcome the opportunity to be able to do that for you as needed.”

AMCOM 101 for Missiles increases Army leaders’ awareness of the tools and resources available to improve readiness in Army missile units. The virtual attendees learned about systems and processes used to support missile readiness and sustainment across the Army.

The forum, hosted by AMCOM since 2014, increases understanding of how AMCOM provides life-cycle management for the Army’s entire aviation and missile enterprise and is critical to ensuring integrated sustainment, logistics and contracting support.

“AMCOM 101 provides a forum to update the field on latest developments on air and missile defense systems and the processes that support the readiness of those systems,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wesley Klees, SMDC command chief warrant officer. “More importantly it provides an opportunity to reach out to the field and receive direct feedback on any current sustainment issues that may be occurring at their level. AMCOM 101 also provides an opportunity for SMDC to tell our story directly and provide an update on the many AMD initiatives we are involved with, whether operationally or from a capabilities perspective, to the people who are directly impacted and work these systems day to day.”