PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command civilian and military members heard directly from their new senior leader during town hall sessions at Redstone Arsenal and Peterson Space Force Base in January.
Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, commanding general of USASMDC, shared his vision for a “One Team!” approach to supporting the Army space, missile defense and high altitude missions.
Gainey said one of his first priorities upon taking command in early January was to facilitate a face-to-face forum where he could introduce himself personally, outline upcoming Army space operations initiatives, recognize excellence and receive immediate feedback from staff to reinvest back into the organization.
Gainey and Command Sgt. Maj. John Foley, USASMDC command sergeant major, hosted the command-wide sessions on Jan. 23 and Jan. 30 at the SMDC headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, and Colorado Springs, respectively.
Gainey harkened back to the “expectations of excellence” instilled in him by his father, a sergeant first class in the Army, and by his football coach at Georgia Southern University, whose mantra to “do right” stuck with him as a budding air defense artillery officer. Those lessons learned have culminated in his “One Team!” vision, which emphasizes the importance of personal relationships and accountability from commanders to drive – not delay – decisions to ensure task efficiency and Soldier confidence.
“Leverage your battalion or company level feedback mechanisms,” Gainey said during the Colorado Springs town hall. “Ensure you're comfortable to leave feedback through your chain of command. We are one team of disciplined professionals who aren't afraid to uphold the standard needed to achieve excellence in everything we do.”
While fielding questions from Soldiers and civilians during both events, Gainey emphasized the importance of Army space professionals – including hundreds of 1st Space Brigade and 100th Missile Defense Brigade Soldiers in attendance in Colorado Springs – in leveraging Army, joint and coalition space capabilities against complex next-generation threats, including rapid advancements in low-cost enemy air and missile technologies.
The integration of those capabilities to protect the joint force, project national power and enable freedom of action in the air and space domain is a major component of the recently released Army Space Vision.
As such, Gainey said he will push for personnel professionalization and a better understanding throughout the Army of space professionals’ exclusive and critical roles in defending the homeland.
“The understanding of (space) effects is critically important, and that's where our space teams out there help educate the force and help the force plan for those type of environments,” Gainey said. “We have some great planning support teams that are embedded into our organizations from an educational standpoint and assist the commanders in leveraging those capabilities that we do have.”
Gainey and Foley also highlighted upcoming key events, including the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Board this week, Austere Challenge 2024 and the Best Warrior Competition, slated for May.
The town halls are expected to occur quarterly, Gainey said, to allow individuals consistent and timely opportunities to discuss concerns and be recognized for achievement.
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